Wang Xiangwei

China Briefing | Why China should step forward and become a proactive peacemaker in Ukraine

With civilian casualties increasing and the international community rallying behind Ukraine, Beijing’s verbal acrobatics can’t be sustained. It needs a new playbook

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi appears on a screen as he delivers a speech at the opening of a session of the UN Human Rights Council, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Photo: Reuters

Wang Xiangwei

Published: 8:30am, 4 Mar 2022Updated: 1:47pm, 9 Mar 2022

Ever since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine, Chinese officials and state media have acted like rhetorical contortionists.

Because of China’s close ties with Russia, Beijing has backed Moscow’s security interests and refused to condemn the invasion.

Instead it has accused the United States of stirring up the war in Ukraine and expressed opposition to the new sanctions imposed on Russia.

On the other hand, Beijing has also called for “respecting and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries” and argued that “a country’s security cannot come at the expense of harming others’ security”. It has called for more diplomacy and negotiations to reduce the conflict.

But with the Russian troops meeting stiffer-than-expected resistance, civilian casualties increasing sharply, and the international community largely rallying behind Ukraine to isolate Russia, Beijing’s verbal acrobatics can no longer be sustained. It needs a new playbook.

The time has come for China to step forward and leverage its economic and political power to play a proactive role in mediating a ceasefire.

No matter how one looks at this, Beijing is well-positioned as a peacemaker as it can leverage its warm ties with Moscow.