The wave of international sanctions against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine does not prevent Beijing from reiterating its support for Moscow, its loyal trading partner. China still says it wants to participate in mediation to end the conflict.
“Solid as a Rock”. The friendship between Beijing and Moscow does not suffer from the slightest turbulence, assures Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday. This is despite Russia’s war on Ukraine and the ensuing wave of international sanctions against the Russian economy. Attached to its partnership with Moscow, China refrains from condemning the Russian intervention in Ukraine, even refusing to speak “invasion”.
“The friendship between the two peoples is rock solid and the prospects for future cooperation are immense.”said Minister Wang Yi, when asked about China’s position on the conflict during his annual press conference on the sidelines of the parliamentary session. “China and Russia, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, are […] the most important strategic partners for each other”added Wang Yi, believing that Beijing and Moscow “contribute” to peace and stability in the world. Received with great fanfare in Beijing for the Winter Olympics in February, Russian President Vladimir Putin already believed that Sino-Russian friendship is a “example of a dignified relationship, where each helps and supports the other in his development”.
The head of Chinese diplomacy also indicates that his country is “willing” to play a role in the Ukrainian crisis, in particular by participating “in good time” international mediation to end the war. Beijing will still send humanitarian aid to Ukraine, says Wang Yi. China has been Moscow’s largest trading partner for twelve years, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. Russia supplies China with 16% of its oil, and Russian natural gas accounts for 5% of Chinese consumption, a far cry from Moscow’s exports to Europe.
“Choice Time”
The attitude of China, which refuses to condemn the conflict, is criticized in several countries. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Monday that China is at “choice time”thus urging Beijing to end its tacit political and economic support for the war. “No country would have a greater impact right now on Russia’s violent aggression towards Ukraine than China”, did he declare. The Australian had previously accused Beijing of throwing “a lifeline” to Vladimir Putin’s regime by increasing its purchases in Moscow. In addition, Russian banks announced on Sunday that they were working on issuing bank cards from the Chinese UnionPay network to respond to the decision of the giants Visa and Mastercard to suspend their operations with Russia, after the military intervention in Ukraine.
For his part, the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell pleaded, in the Spanish daily El Mundofor China to play a mediating role, believing that it “there is no alternative”. For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett began mediation, meeting Vladimir Putin on Saturday in Moscow, while discussing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Israeli sees his efforts as “a moral duty” even if he recognizes the little chance of success.
According to the Ukrainian authorities, a third round of direct negotiations with the Russians is to take place on Monday. The chances of achieving progress seem slim, Vladimir Putin having warned that dialogue with Kyiv would only be possible if “all Russian requirements” were accepted, in particular a status “neutral and non-nuclear” for Ukraine and its “compulsory demilitarization”.