That came as a surprise to many – possibly including Vladimir Putin. At the Munich Security Conference, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke out clearly against Russian intervention in Ukraine.
At the Munich Security Conference, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict and a return to the Minsk Agreement. “Why can’t all sides sit down and hold detailed talks and work out a timetable on how to implement this agreement,” Wang Yi said on Saturday, according to the translation.
“That’s what all parties should be doing, what they should be concentrating on – rather than increasing tensions, fomenting panic and perhaps even sensationalising the risk of war.” Wang Yi demanded: “Now all countries should take responsibility and work for a peaceful solution.”
Wang on Ukraine: Protecting Territorial Integrity of States
The Minsk Agreement is a peace plan agreed under Franco-German mediation in 2015 for the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists are fighting Ukrainian government soldiers. It stipulates that the two pro-Russian separatist regions are autonomous parts of Ukraine. However, Kiev has not yet submitted a statute of autonomy.
Wang Yi, who video-entered his speech, said, “Sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of every country should be protected and respected. This is one of the basic norms of international relations.” Ukraine is no exception here, he stressed.
China: NATO eastward expansion can hardly guarantee peace
However, he also once again opposed an eastward expansion of NATO. “The Cold War is long over, NATO was a product of the Cold War era,” he said, making it clear that from China’s point of view, expansion to the east could hardly guarantee lasting peace and security in Europe.
The Chinese foreign minister’s statement surprised many political observers, as tensions between Russia and China have recently brought them closer together. In a joint declaration, both countries demanded, among other things, an end to the eastward expansion of NATO. During a visit to Beijing to see head of state and party leader Xi Jinping before the start of the Winter Olympics, Russian President Vladimir Putin also received support for the Ukraine crisis.
Source: Stern
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