Xi warns Scholz, Macron about effect of sanctions
President talks of slowdown in world economy, as EU pushes China to use influence with Russia
President Xi Jinping cautioned the French and German leaders that sanctions on Russia could “drag down” the global economy, as Europe stepped up a lobbying campaign for China to mediate on Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Xi yesterday told French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that he “deeply regretted the return of war to the European continent” and supported a diplomatic resolution to the crisis, which the United Nations said had left more than 400 civilians dead.
He reiterated Beijing’s opposition to sanctions, which have become a cornerstone of the West’s response to Russian aggression, according to the Chinese government’s version of the discussion.
“Maximum restraint” should be exercised to prevent a humanitarian disaster, Xi said, warning that sanctions would “drag down the world economy, which is already under the heavy burden of the pandemic”.
“This is not beneficial to all parties,” he was quoted as saying. “We must actively advocate a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept.”
Xi said China was willing to maintain “coordination with France, Germany and the EU, and play an active role with the international community”.
He also said the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations must be respected and that China would provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine. “We must work together to reduce the negative impacts of this crisis,” Xi said.
The French and German governments had yet to release their versions of the talk.
The three-way video summit came amid a diplomatic flurry from the West to pressure China to help defuse the situation.
Xi spoke with Macron in the days leading up to the invasion, when he called for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. He has yet to discuss the situation with United States President Joe Biden.
Since then, there has been much speculation as to whether the Xi was aware of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plans. Beijing has denied that it had any prior knowledge of the attack.
Despite concerns over Beijing’s refusal to condemn Russia’s ongoing invasion, and over the tacit rhetorical support it has offered Moscow, European officials believe the gravity of the situation means it is imperative to enlist China to intervene.
“China has the potential to reach out to Moscow because of the relationship obviously and we would like China to use its influence to press for a ceasefire and to make Russia to stop the brutal unprecedented shelling and killing of civilians in Ukraine,” European Union foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano said.
On Monday, the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, spoke to Foreign Minister Wang Yi for a second time since the invasion began 12 days ago. He thanked China for abstaining on votes condemning Russia at the United Nations and “expressed appreciation for China’s readiness to support cessation of hostilities and dialogue”, an EU report said.
Wang said the international community should support talks between Ukraine and Russia for a ceasefire and peaceful resolution of the conflict. “China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in de-escalating the situation to the best of its ability,” the foreign ministry quoted Wang as saying.
But earlier in the day, Wang offered his strongest support yet for Moscow, saying that the relationship with Russia was “rock solid”.
“Relations between China and Russia will not be influenced by any third party,” he added.
Officials in Kyiv have also encouraged China to exert its influence to sway Russia. Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, on Saturday said “China is interested in stopping this war”, The Financial Times reported.
“Chinese diplomacy has sufficient tools to make a difference and we count that it is already involved … and that their efforts will be successful,” he said.
Exchanges between US and Chinese officials have been more prickly. Over the weekend, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Wang and pressed him to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The secretary noted the world is watching to see which nations stand up for the basic principles of freedom, self-determination and
Relations [with] Russia will not be influenced by any third party
FOREIGN MINISTER WANG YI
sovereignty,” said Ned Price, the State Department spokesman.
“He underscored that the world is acting in unison to repudiate and respond to the Russian aggression, ensuring that Moscow will pay a high price.”
According to state media, Wang told Blinken that China’s stance on the Ukraine “issue” was “based on the merits of the matter concerned”.
Blinken continued the tough talk on a trip through Europe this week. In Vilnius, Lithuania, on Monday, he told China that “actions speak louder than words”. “Beijing talks a lot about the importance of upholding the international order, stability, and respecting sovereignty,” Blinken said. “But from its coercion of Vilnius, to its failure thus far to condemn Moscow’s flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine today and in 2014, Beijing’s actions are speaking much louder than its words.”
A debate is being waged at the upper echelons of the Biden administration in Washington, meanwhile, on whether to seek Beijing’s cooperation in enforcing sanctions and convincing Russia to de-escalate its invasion.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov met China’s ambassador to Russia, Zhang Hanhui, earlier yesterday, the Russian foreign ministry said, without giving further details.
Comparisons between Ukraine and Taiwan were inevitable and the island’s leader, Tsai Ing-wen, has tried to capitalise on the crisis to gain support. American politicians have heeded her calls, President Joe Biden sending a team of one-time security and Asian affairs officials and then former secretary of state Mike Pompeo following. There have been assurances and promises, but it is wrong to contend that events in Europe bear similarity to an issue that is an internal Chinese matter. Abiding by agreements that there is only one China rather than provoking Beijing is the only sensible course.
Beijing is trying to help mediate a peaceful resolution to Russia’s war in Ukraine, nations with which it has friendly terms. Nationalist voices on the mainland contend the time is ripe to act against Taiwan, but a peaceful reunification of what is perceived as a rebel province has always been the goal.
Biden and Pompeo are trying to take political advantage of the Taiwan issue. The latter is believed to have presidential ambitions and during his tenure under former president Donald Trump, upturned long-standing American policy and intentionally pushed formal relations between Washington and Taipei closer. The Biden administration has adopted that approach; its unofficial delegation that included ex-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen sent Tsai a message of American military support. But the hastily organised trip was also aimed at managing the potential diplomatic fallout of the visit by Pompeo, who is a private citizen and not Washington’s representative.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged during a recent phone call with State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to uphold the one-China policy. But the Biden administration also says it has a “rock solid” commitment to ensuring Taiwan’s security and has twice approved arms deals. The trips came in the same week as the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Shanghai Communique, the first of three agreements that normalised diplomatic relations between Beijing and Washington and in which the US acknowledged an “interest in a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question by the Chinese themselves”. It is still a responsible position to take.