Lessons of the past must be heeded to avoid perfect storm that is looming

President Xi Jinping held a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, during which they discussed not only bilateral issues such as how to promote trade and advance cooperation in such areas as civilian nuclear energy, but also issues of mutual concern in the global context, including climate change and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The frequent exchange of views between the two leaders has served to guide China and France in sustaining their long-term mutually beneficial cooperation, which Xi said he hopes will gain further momentum prior to the 60th anniversary of Sino-French diplomatic relations in 2024. Also, as two of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, finding common ground on shared challenges and hot spot issues will help them better coordinate their efforts to promote peace and stability.

With this in mind, Xi and Macron again addressed the situation in Ukraine and agreed on the need to reach a negotiated peace there. Xi stressed that China has been working in its own way to promote peace talks, and it supports European countries in keeping the security of Europe in their own hands.

The conversation with Macron came one day after Xi talked via video link with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, during which he called on the two countries to better harness the stabilizing, constructive and steering role of the relationship, saying that the Ukraine crisis has once again brought European security to a crossroads and it is important that every effort is made to prevent the conflict from intensifying or magnifying to a point of no return.

The more than two months of conflict has devastated towns and cities, rendered millions of people refugees, and caused billions of dollars of economic losses. Moreover, the crisis has spilled over to disrupt the global food, energy and financial markets, prompting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to warn that the world is on the brink of a “perfect storm” of crises.

Given that the Joe Biden administration has not minced its words in outlining its geopolitical aim of fueling the hostilities to “weaken” Russia in a grinding war of attrition, it is all the more important for Europe to remain coolheaded and not toe Washington’s line of “no concessions” to Russia. France, as the current holder of the rotating EU Council presidency, must step up to the plate and strive to secure a consensus among European countries that the security of Europe should be kept in the hands of Europeans themselves.

After all, European countries should not ignore the historical lessons of what may happen should the conflict spiral out of control. That is why China supports European countries in keeping security “in their own hands”, as Xi said, because that is the only way that the world’s and Europe’s own interests can best be served.