Xi Jinping took a group photo in the middle of the G20 summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on the 19th. / Reuters Yonhap News”/>
Chinese President Xi Jinping took a group photo in the middle of the G20 summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on the 19th. / Reuters Yonhap News
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the occasion of the G20 summit, called for a ‘resolution of the Ukraine issue.’
At a bilateral meeting with President Xi held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on the 19th (local time), President Macron said, “China must play an important role in preventing nuclear proliferation,” Reuters reported.
On this day, President Vladimir Putin changed Russia’s doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons to allow it to be used against non-nuclear weapons states that received support from nuclear weapons states. This is in response to the United States’ approval of Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons to strike the Russian mainland.
President Macron said France and China had expressed concern over Russia’s changes in nuclear doctrine and had asked President Xi to put pressure on President Putin to end the war.
President Xi responded, “China does not want to intensify tensions (regarding the Ukraine crisis) and spread the crisis,” and added, “We will continue to play a constructive role in achieving a ceasefire and an end to the war in ‘our own way,’” Xinhua News Agency reported. This is a repetition of China’s fundamental position.
In an article he sent to a Brazilian daily ahead of the G20 summit, President Xi again emphasized the plan to end the war without conditions for the return of Ukrainian territory, jointly proposed by China and Brazil last September.
At the summit meeting with Prime Minister Scholz held on the same day, the difference in positions became more noticeable. Prime Minister Scholz told President Xi, who emphasized the EU’s high tariffs on Chinese cars and economic cooperation, that “it is important to discuss issues such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and dangerous situations elsewhere in the world,” according to Deutsche Welle and AFP. This was reported.
“I clearly told President Xi that I will not accept China supplying weapons to Russia,” he said in an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF after the meeting.
President Xi showed extensive diplomatic action by holding more than 12 summit meetings at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and G20 summits. During his meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, he emphasized the importance of dialogue between the U.S. and China, and held a series of summit meetings with the leaders of U.S. allies and allies with whom he had a strained relationship, including South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
President Xi emphasized free trade and globalization, prioritizing the development rights of developing countries. At the G20 general meeting, President Xi said, “If China can do it, other countries can do it too,” and argued that free trade and globalization order, which became the foundation for China’s rapid growth, must be maintained.
Xi’s approach was welcomed by some leaders. Argentine President Javier Millay, who once revealed his anti-China inclinations by saying, “I will not do business with communists,” expressed his gratitude for China’s promise of financial support after the summit with President Xi on the 19th. At the summit press conference, he said, “We will strictly adhere to the one-China principle.”
The leaders of Mexico, Chile, and Peru reportedly responded favorably to China’s investment promise. The Korea-China and China-Japan summits also received positive reviews in terms of easing regional tensions.
However, Bloomberg News pointed out that differences of opinion were more clearly identified with Western countries. As the situation in Ukraine changed rapidly during the G20 summit, attention was focused on China’s position, but China consistently took a bystander position and avoided it.
The most important axis of ‘South America’, which President Xi had worked hard to target during the APEC/G20 summit, is still blank. This is because Brazil is not joining the Belt and Road Initiative. It is said that they were concerned about relations with the United States and the death of their own industry due to China’s powerful production capacity. President Xi concludes his trip with a meeting with Brazilian President Inacio Lula da Silva on the 20th.
What are the implications of President Xi’s pledge to engage in dialogue with major powers for China’s future foreign policy and its approach to global conflicts, especially in light of the ongoing tensions in Ukraine?
Question 1: Can you please share your thoughts on the bilateral meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit? What were the main points of discussion, and how do you think the meeting influenced the international community’s perception of China’s role in the Russia-Ukraine crisis?
Question 2: As per the Reuters report, President Macron asked President Xi to put pressure on President Putin to end the war in Ukraine. How significant do you think China’s role is in resolving the conflict, and what are the potential challenges it might face in this regard?
Question 3: In an interview with a Brazilian daily ahead of the G20 summit, President Xi reiterated China’s proposal for ending the war in Ukraine without any preconditions for the return of Ukrainian territory. What are the potential implications of this stance, and how does it differ from the West’s perspectives on the conflict?
Question 4: During the G20 summit, President Xi emphasized the importance of dialogue between major powers and free trade. How do you perceive the impact of his remarks on global cooperation and relations between China and the United States?
Question 5: China’s investment promises and diplomatic efforts in South America have received mixed reviews. Can you analyze the reasons behind this, and what opportunities do you see for deeper economic cooperation between China and the region in the future?
Question 6: What are your thoughts on the meeting between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Xi Jinping? How do you assess the impact of their discussions on EU-China relations, particularly regarding economic issues and China’s potential involvement in the Russia-Ukraine crisis?
Question 7: President Xi’s approach towards the Russia-Ukraine crisis has been characterized as ‘bystanderism’. Do you agree with this assessment, and how do you think China should balance its relationship with Russia and the West in the future?
Question 8: What are your expectations for the upcoming meeting between President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Inacio Lula da Silva? How might their bilateral relations evolve in the wake of the G20 summit?
