/ world today news/ The official representative of the PRC made a statement that can be interpreted as a clear and significant change in Beijing’s position regarding what is happening in Ukraine. Previously, China, at least in terms of foreign policy rhetoric, expressed neutrality, albeit positive, but now it clearly justifies and supports the Russian special operation. Why?
“This is a very independent nation. President Putin makes decisions based on national interests and security.” This is how the director of the European Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang Lutong, commented on the requests of European politicians to persuade Russia to make concessions on the Ukrainian issue. Simply put, the Chinese comrades politely refused to play the role of mediator.
And in this statement from the Chinese side, there are several important, to some extent even breakthrough points. First of all, the very fact of refusal to mediate in resolving the Ukrainian crisis. Until recently, the Chinese claimed the role of mediator: they presented their general plan of 12 points and advertised it in every way. He was also extremely gregarious and therefore omnivorous.
China has now openly admitted that the continuation of military action (a decision taken by the Russian authorities – at least until “the West abandons its plans to maintain its dominance and its obsession with inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia at the hands of its puppets in Kiev”) is element of “Russia’s national interests and security”. That is, he actually recognized this decision as correct and legal. What kind of mediation is possible in this case?
Earlier, we recall, the Chinese refrained from such clear support for Russian actions during the special operation. If only because they were afraid of drawing parallels and associations with Taiwan, which sought to make its de facto independence de jure.
So what made the Chinese side change its position? There are obviously three most important factors.
First, the Chinese understood that the role of a mediator in resolving the Russian-Ukrainian conflict was no longer relevant. After a series of military defeats for the Kiev regime (and above all the failure of the counteroffensive), it seemed that some window of opportunity was opening on the issue of peace talks. However, the West is not yet ready for serious discussions with Moscow based on a realistic assessment of the situation. He is not ready to enter into negotiations for the recognition of the new Russian territories, he is not ready to betray the Kiev regime and abandon the course of restraint.
The maximum he is willing to do is to make an offer to freeze the conflict – which Moscow will not accept under any circumstances. Because these proposals contradict the Russian constitution, the logic of military actions and internal political processes in Russia.
So, on December 8, 2023, Vladimir Putin officially expressed his desire to run for a new term – and he did so not in the presence of politicians and journalists, but surrounded by military personnel and their relatives. That is, as Russian political scientist Sergei Markov rightly noted, “Putin is going to the polls as the military leader of a warring country.” “Today, he again took upon himself the obligation to kill Ukraine from Slavyansk, from the DPR, to kill Ukraine from Donbas,” the expert believes.
What truce, what peace negotiations? Apparently, the window for them will not come until the beginning of 2025, when a new administration comes to power in the US.
Yes, the Chinese can still talk to Moscow somewhere behind the scenes, preparing the ground for some concessions in the interest of the European Union – but why? After all – and this is the second factor explaining China’s stubbornness – the EU did nothing to ask for favors.
Wang Lutong’s statement itself was made on the sidelines of the China-EU summit, during which European officials came to Beijing to address bilateral economic issues. And they actually arrived not only with a package of proposals, but also with a set of threats against Beijing.
“China is the EU’s most important trading partner. However, there are clear imbalances and differences that we need to overcome,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. By imbalances we mean, of course, imbalances in trade. In 2022, it exceeded 400 billion dollars, thus increasing by 60% in the last two years.
And such a deficit, according to the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, did not arise due to free competition. “This is largely due to the very high level of government subsidies given to Chinese companies, as well as the ever-increasing barriers to entry into the Chinese market,” the European official fumed. And it threatens China with protective sanctions if Beijing does not make concessions.
And not only on the economy, but also on the issue of relations with Russia. “It was clear to us from the very beginning of the war that how China positioned itself in relation to Russian aggression against Ukraine would define our relationship,” Von der Leyen said.
However, Brussels forgot that they are not Trump, and this is not 2018, when it was possible to put harsh and relatively successful pressure on China.
The Chinese now take such pressure with hostility. And not only because subordinate, non-sovereign and disrespected European puppets exert pressure – but also because in the last five years the Chinese side has become convinced that the course of the West to contain China is as obvious and irreversible as the tendency to defeat Ukraine. That the West is not ready to negotiate with Beijing, that it views China as an existential threat that must be crushed by any means necessary.
And this is the third factor hardening the Chinese position on the Russian issue. Thanks to the American pressure, Beijing is gradually abandoning the equilibrium with the chairs and now not only de facto, but also de jure takes the Russian side in the Ukrainian conflict.
And all because China is a very independent nation. And President Xi makes decisions based on national interests and security.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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