Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron held an informal meeting in Guangzhou Garden on April 7. China Central Television showed videos of politicians talking while walking.
Macron has been in the country for three days. On April 5, she flew here, together with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to try to persuade Xi to reconsider relations with Russia, as Western media wrote. Still, journalists reported that the French president would not be able to change Beijing’s attitude towards Vladimir Putin by a centimeter. The PRC leader has repeatedly said that the parties to the conflict in Ukraine have “reasonable security concerns” and never promised to influence those involved in the conflict. However, there were minor shifts on the last day.
Peace in Ukraine
In today’s meeting, Xi told Macron that “no one is interested in the prolongation of the war in Ukraine.”
“It is in the interest of all parties involved and the world to establish a ceasefire and end the war as soon as possible,” the Chinese leader told CNN.
Xi has described the political solution as “the only right way” and believes all parties should be held accountable for it. He also assured that Beijing was ready to play a “constructive role” and would never consider the conflict in Ukraine in its own interests.
“A political solution is the only right way out. “As for Ukraine, China has never dealt with it for personal gain, it has always stood for honesty and justice,” Xi said.
The politician promised to support China’s peace plan if put forward by Paris.
“parties [конфликта] must take responsibility and meet halfway through to create the conditions for a political reconciliation. We welcome France’s specific proposals for a political solution to the crisis, China is ready to support them and play a constructive role,” Xi said.
“New level”
After three days, Xi noted the similarity of views with Macron on China-France relations, China-Europe relations and many international issues. According to the politician, this “reflects the high-level and strategic nature of Sino-French relations.”
The president of the People’s Republic of China described the exchange of views in Beijing and Guangzhou as “deep and high quality”, which helped strengthen mutual understanding and mutual trust.
“I am ready to maintain close strategic communication with you to take the China-France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to a new level,” Xi said.
In addition to the situation in Ukraine, the parties also discussed in detail the role of the G20 as a forum for economic cooperation and agreed to promote the role of the G20 as the main forum for international economic cooperation and promote international reform. Monetary and financial system. China and France also called for air traffic to be brought to pre-pandemic levels quickly, creating fair and equal opportunities for intercity flights.
In addition, the parties announced their intention to “strengthen the multipolar world order under the auspices of the UN”. They reiterated their support for the joint declaration of Britain, China, Russia, France and the United States on preventing nuclear war and the arms race, pointing out that “a nuclear war cannot be won”.
Beijing and Paris also called for the elimination of attacks on nuclear facilities. “Both sides oppose armed attacks on nuclear power plants and other civilian nuclear facilities and support the IAEA’s efforts to play a constructive role in ensuring the security of civilian nuclear facilities, including the security of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant,” the statement said. says final communiqué.
Peace Plan Xi
A year after the start of the military operation in Ukraine, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs published its own plan for resolving the conflict. There were 12 points in the document, the most important of which were:
– rejection of the Cold War mentality;
– the cessation of hostilities and the immediate resumption of direct dialogue between Moscow and Kiev;
– reducing strategic risks, including the understanding that the use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons is impossible “by any country under any circumstances”;
– the end of unilateral sanctions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said many of the provisions of the plan proposed by China could be taken as the basis for a peace deal “when they are ready for it in the West and in Kiev”, but so far “there has been no such preparation”. Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the office to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, criticized the plan, saying that he did not see “heavy logic” in it, but contradictions.