China willing to play constructive role in resolving Ukraine crisis

China is ready to play a constructive role in cooling down the Ukraine crisis and resolving it once and for all, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said on Friday.

Zhang made the remarks at an ambassadorial roundtable on mediation and humanitarian initiatives related to the Ukraine crisis held by the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and ambassadors of more than 30 countries also attended the conference.

Zhang said China has an objective and impartial position on the Ukraine crisis, which he noted has complex historical and practical causes. He said that to completely resolve the crisis, it is necessary to address both the root causes and the symptoms of the problem.

All parties should adhere to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and promote the construction of a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture, Zhang noted.

He reiterated that the four principles, joint efforts in four areas and three observations proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping are China’s fundamental approach to the political settlement of the crisis, and said China has always taken practical action for a political settlement of the crisis.

China released a 12-point position paper on a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis in February, calling for all parties to cease hostilities and resume peace talks.

In mid-May, the country sent its special envoy Li Hui to launch a two-week trip to Europe, meeting with leaders or top diplomats from countries and organizations including Ukraine, Germany and the European Union to exchange views on a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

Noting that the situation in Ukraine is still at a critical juncture, Zhang said China is willing to do whatever is conducive to easing the situation and promoting negotiations.

The ambassador called for all parties concerned to be rational and restrained, avoid escalation and expansion of the crisis, work together to control the spillover effects of the crisis, and prevent the emergence of a larger-scale humanitarian crisis.

(Cover: Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui at an ambassadorial roundtable on mediation and humanitarian initiatives of the Ukraine crisis in Moscow, Russia, September 15, 2023. /Chinese Embassy in Russia)