China has offered a 12-point peace proposal to end the fighting in Ukraine one year into Russia‘s war.
The proposal follows China's recent announcement that it is trying to act as mediator in the war that has re-energised Western alliances viewed by Beijing and Moscow as rivals. China's top diplomat indicated that the plan was coming at a security conference this week in Munich, Germany.
With its release, President Xi Jinping's government is reiterating China's claim about being neutral, despite blocking efforts at the United Nations to condemn the invasion.
The document echoes Russian complaints that Western governments are to blame for the 24 February 2022 invasion and criticises sanctions on Russia.
At the Munich meeting Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, expressed scepticism about Beijing's position before the plan's release.
He said China has provided non-lethal assistance that supports Russian president Vladimir Putin's war effort and said the US has intelligence that Beijing is “considering providing lethal support.” China has called the allegation a “smear” and said it lacks evidence.
What has China proposed?
China's proposal calls for a ceasefire and peace talks, and an end to Western sanctions against Russia. It says “relevant countries should stop abusing unilateral sanctions” and “do their share in de-escalating the Ukraine crisis.”
It says sovereignty of all countries should be upheld, though it doesn't specify what that would look like for Ukraine, and the land taken from it since Russia seized Crimea in 2014.
The proposal condemns a “Cold War mentality,” a rebuke of the United States and NATO, the US European military alliance. “The security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs,” the proposal says. Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded a promise that Ukraine will not join the bloc before the invasion.
Other points call for a cease-fire, peace talks, protection for prisoners of war and stopping attacks on civilians, keeping nuclear power plants safe and facilitating grain exports.
Does China back Russia’s war in Ukraine?
China has offered contradictory statements regarding its stance. It says Russia was provoked into taking action by NATO’s eastward expansion but has also claimed neutrality on the war.
Ahead of Russia's attack, Mr Xi and Mr Putin attended the opening of last year's Winter Olympics in Beijing and issued a statement that their governments had a “no limits” friendship. China has since ignored Western criticism and reaffirmed that pledge.
Mr Putin has said he expects Mr Xi to visit Russia in the next few months. China has yet to confirm that.
China is “trying to have it both ways,” Mr Blinken said Sunday on NBC.
“Publicly, they present themselves as a country striving for peace in Ukraine, but privately, as I said, we’ve seen already over these past months the provision of non-lethal assistance that does go directly to aiding and abetting Russia’s war effort.”
Has China provided support to Russia?
China’s support for Russia has been largely rhetorical and political. Beijing has helped to prevent efforts to condemn Moscow at the United Nations. There is no public evidence it is currently supplying arms to Russia, but the US has said China is providing non-lethal support already and may do more.
Mr Blinken, at the Munich conference, said the United States has long been concerned that China would provide weapons to Russia. “We have information that gives us concern that they are considering providing lethal support to Russia,” he said.
Mr Blinken said he expressed to the Chinese envoy to the meeting, Wang Yi, that “this would be a serious problem.”
NATO's chief said on Wednesday he had seen some signs that China may be ready to provide arms and warned that would be it would be supporting a violation of international law.
Russian and Chinese forces have held joint drills since the invasion, most recently with the South African navy in a shipping lane off the South African coast.
Ukraine’s defence minister Oleksii Reznikov expressed doubt about US concerns on Monday.
“I’m not sure because Russia needs also helmets, life vests, etc., etc. And I think that if China will help them … it will not (be) the weaponry. It will (be) some kinds of like clothes,” Mr Reznikov said in Kyiv.
