2023-04-29 10:14:47
The Asian power has acquired an increasingly important role in the midst of the conflict, considering the solid relationship it maintains with Russia. It has even proposed nothing less than as a mediator in the conflict.
historical call
In the dialogue, Jinping told Zelensky that China will send a special government representative for Eurasian affairs to Ukraine – and other countries – with the aim of promoting “deep communication with all parties on a political solution to the crisis.”
In turn, according to Chinese state media, Jinping indicated that the “complex evolution of the ‘crisis’ in Ukraine” has had a “great impact” on the international situation, adding that his country “has always been on the side of peace.” ” and that “has promoted conversations” in this regard, reported the state channel CCTV.
The Chinese president also mentioned that as a “permanent member of the UN Security Council”, he will not “observe the conflict from afar hoping to obtain benefits” or “add more fuel to the fire.”
Zelensky, for his part, highlighted having had a “long and significant” phone call with President Xi.
“I believe that this call, as well as the appointment of the Ukrainian ambassador to China, will give a powerful impetus to the development of our bilateral relations,” he said on his social networks.
Zelensky also told Jinping that he sees “with good eyes” the “important role” played by China in the search for the restoration of peace.
Approaching the EU
Regarding this first conversation between Xi Jinping and Zelensky, María José Mora, an academic at the Institute of History of the Universidad de los Andes, highlights three major points to analyze.
“First, there is an attempt by China to advance in the role of mediator that it imposed on itself a few months ago when the war between Russia and Ukraine began. And given that in recent weeks we have seen that this role seems to have been taken by Lula da Silva, the president of Brazil, China decides to go one step further and in some way reaffirm this role of mediator in the conflict, ”she maintains.
Of course, Mora emphasizes, it is a role that might be questioned given that since the conflict began, Jinping has not condemned the invasion of Russia, “and has met or spoken with Putin five times, including twice in person”. Instead, she warns, this is the first time he’s called and contacted Zelenski.
Secondly, the academic specifies, there is a clear attempt to also get closer to the European Union. The expert exemplifies this point with the visits to China by the Spanish president and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Union Commission.
“This, with a clear objective, which is precisely to recover the damaged ties between China and Europe, as a result of this role of China, which, although it has declared itself neutral, I insist, has not condemned the invasion and has even helped Russia by increasing trade. with the country, helping Russia to partly avoid the economic sanctions imposed by Europe”, he mentions.
Valeria Navarro Rosenblatt, secretary of studies at the UDP School of Political Science and professor of UDP History, believes that China can indeed play an important role in reaching an agreement.
“About two weeks ago, the Chinese Defense Minister visited Moscow. It was feared that there would be an arrival of war material in Russia by China, however, contact with Ukraine means that there is a consideration on the part of China of what the war is meaning for the international system, ”he blurts out.
In this sense, he highlights the fact that this is the first time they have communicated in this year and 2 months of conflict, “given that China has had a constant relationship with Russia.”
“The first consequence of the call was the appointment of a plenipotentiary representative of Ukraine in China, that is, a representative equivalent to an ambassador,” he says.
“This gesture can represent a validation of Ukraine’s position. However, in its position of peace, China seems to be in favor of ending the war by accepting Russia’s conquests without considering the aggression carried out by this country once morest its neighbor”, she adds.
China’s role as eventual mediator
Regarding an eventual role of China as a mediator, Mora makes a nuance. “Obviously it is not a neutral player, that is, it has not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and it has increased international trade, trade between the two countries, which has benefited one of the contenders, which in this case would be Russia,” he says.
In this sense, he adds that China might only be a mediator if it decided to take a really neutral position in the context of the conflict so that it can generate the instances that allow at least the start of serious negotiations in the search for peace.
In fact, explains the academic, the call “had a lot of diplomacy, courtesy and few really tangible points that go in the real line, some think, of seeking peace solutions.”
“The proposals that China has already made regarding a peace plan are proposals that have not been well received by the European Union and have not been well received by the United States either,” he says.
Meanwhile, Navarro Rosenblatt argues that the call can be considered a new gesture towards accepting the role of international political power on the part of China.
“If we consider that in a significant number of economic, cultural and social aspects, China is already a power, this possible role of mediator may be an additional nod to the role of world power that the Asian giant already has in other areas,” details.
“While I think ending the conflict is important, China’s mediating role may signal a shift in global geopolitics, one that has already been seen economically,” he adds.
The phone call and Russia
Could this conversation generate some friction between China and its main ally, which is Russia? Mora believes that, most likely, this call has been previously notified to Russia.
“Right now, the trade between China and Russia is too important to put that relationship at risk. Now, the relationship has been absolutely strengthened since this limitless alliance agreement that both countries agreed to in early 2022 before Russia’s military operation ”, he mentions.
“And that boundless alliance has been reaffirmed by China and by Russia, at least five times in the course of the war so far. Therefore, it is very unlikely that this phone call and the next moves that China makes in relation to an attempt to seek peace with Ukraine will not be previously discussed with Russia, ”he points out.
The call and the White House
After the call was made known, the White House assessed the call, qualifying it as “very good.” Despite this, Mora believes that the Biden administration should have made a statement in this regard.
“Given the tense situation in which the talks between China and the United States are at this minute, whether due to difficulties in the commercial area or in the geopolitical area with respect to Taiwan, any step by China in seeking instances that pacify all Relations, indeed, are always going to be well regarded by the United States, the European Union or whoever it is”, he says.
“So in terms of importance, well, it is important for everyone, but then you have to see if China’s proposal really specifically, or the steps that it is going to continue taking, really are steps in which everyone, both the Union The European Union, the United States, Russia and Ukraine, agree to continue in order to search for a peace solution”, he argues.
“If not all the actors agree, the truth is that China’s role as a mediator is weak and as long as it clearly continues to support one more than the other, it loses a little weight and substance. But we will definitely see what follows this call and what guidelines it can carry out ”, he concludes.
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