Why China is trying to mediate in Russian offensive against Ukraine

Chinese leader Xi Jinping said Wednesday that Beijing will send an envoy to Ukraine to discuss a possible political settlement to Russias war with the countryBeijing has previously avoided involvement in conflicts between other countries but appears to be trying to assert itself as a global diplomatic force after arranging talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran in March that led them to restore diplomatic relations after a sevenyear breakXi told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call that a Chinese envoy a former Chinese ambassador to Russia would visit Ukraine and other countries to discuss a possible political settlement according to a government statementIt made no mention of Russia or last years invasion of Ukraine and didnt indicate whether the Chinese envoy might visit Moscow The XiZelenskyy phone call was long anticipated after Beijing said it wanted to serve as a mediator in the warWhy does it matterChina is the only major government that has friendly relations with Moscow as well as economic leverage as the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas after the United States and its allies cut off most purchasesBeijing which sees Moscow as a diplomatic partner in opposing US domination of global affairs has refused to criticize the invasion and used its status as one of five permanent UN Security Council members to deflect diplomatic attacks on RussiaZelenskyy earlier said he welcomed a Chinese offer to mediateWhy did China do thisXis government has pursued a bigger role in global diplomacy as part of a campaign to restore China to what the ruling Communist Party sees as its rightful status as a political and economic leader and to build an international order that favours Beijings interests That is a sharp reversal after decades of avoiding involvement in other countries conflicts and most international affairs while it focused on economic development at homeIn March Saudi Arabia and Iran issued a surprise announcement following talks in Beijing that they would reopen embassies in each others capitals following a sevenyear break China has good relations with both as a big oil buyerLast week Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country is ready to help facilitate peace talks Wednesdays statement warned against the dangers of nuclear war suggesting Beijing might also have been motivated by what it sees as the growing danger of a more destructive conflictMediating between Ukraine and Russia would increase Chinas presence in Eastern Europe where Beijing has tried to build ties with other governments That has prompted complaints by some European officials that China is trying to gain leverage over the European UnionAlso read US Treasury Secretary calls for better USChina relations as tensions risePolitical science professor Kimberly Marten of Barnard College at Columbia University in New York doubted China would succeed in a peacemaker roleI have a hard time believing that China can act as peacemaker she said adding that Beijing has been too close to RussiaWhat are Chinas relations with RussiaChina is the closest thing President Vladimir Putins isolated government has to a major ally Xi and Putin issued a joint statement ahead of the February 2022 invasion that said their governments had a no limits friendshipBeijing has tried to appear neutral but has repeated Russian justifications for the invasionXi received a warm welcome from Putin during a visit to Moscow in March The Chinese defense minister visited Russia this monthChina has stepped up purchases of Russian oil and gas for its energyhungry economy helping to offset lost revenue resulting from Western sanctions In exchange China gets lower prices though details havent been disclosedMarten said the XiZelenskyy call was kind of a slap at Russia because Russia has been very keen to portray China as its ally She said the direct ChinaUkraine contact indicates China is taking at least a step away from RussiaWhat are Chinas relations with UkraineChina was Ukraines biggest trading partner before the invasion though on a smaller scale than ChineseRussian tradeIn 2021 Ukraine announced plans for Chinese companies to build traderelated infrastructureZelenskyys government was more ambivalent toward Beijing after it was clear Xi wouldnt try to stop Putins war but the two sides have remained amicableBefore the fullscale Russian invasion China was Ukraines number one trading partner I believe that our conversation today will give a powerful impetus to the return preservation and development of this dynamic at all levels an official Ukrainian readout of the call reportedQin the foreign minister promised this month China wouldnt provide arms to either side a pledge that benefits Ukraine which has received tanks rockets and other armaments from the United States and European governmentsThe Chinese ambassador to France set off an uproar in Europe when he suggested former Soviet republics a group that includes Ukraine might not be sovereign nations That was in line with Putins comments denying Ukrainian sovereigntyBeijing then reassured former Soviet states it respected their sovereignty and said the ambassadors comments were a personal opinion not official policyElizabeth Wishnick of the USbased think tank CNA and Columbia Universitys Weatherhead East Asian Institute said in an email I wonder if Xis call was set up quickly to deflect attention from the uproar over the Chinese ambassadors remarksThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever