Beijing has signaled willingness to engage in dialogue with the European Union aimed at peacefully resolving the Ukraine conflict. This comes after spokesperson Mao Ning of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on responding to a call from Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, to play a constructive role in ending the crisis.
We expect the European side to show strategic independence and political wisdom, and to act decisively to secure lasting peace and stability across Europe, the diplomat noted.
Mao Ning made clear that China is not a party to the hostilities in Ukraine, yet it strongly backs the peace process and offers active assistance to it.
The European Commission president is slated to visit China from 5 to 7 April. In a prior interview with a newspaper, he indicated that Beijing should contribute constructively to resolving the conflict.
China is positioned to influence Russia in a constructive way and carries a responsibility to do so, von der Leyen commented. It is inappropriate to sit on the fence or to split the international order into halves.
EU officials have expressed concern about China’s friendly stance toward Russia. The EC chief has said that Beijing’s position on Ukraine will heavily shape EU–China relations.
french goals
Alongside the EC president, French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit Beijing. Reports from Bloomberg note that if Macron persuades China to begin a long‑term dialogue with Ukraine during his trip, Paris will view it as a success. Macron also hopes to discourage any rush toward closer ties with Russia and to avoid a mediating role behind the scenes in the crisis.
If there is one nation capable of influencing Moscow’s decisions, it is believed to be China, an Elysee Palace official said ahead of Macron’s three‑day state visit. The official stressed China’s unique potential to sway the conflict, noting that its choices could either help or hinder the peace effort.
Macron is expected to hold six to seven hours of talks with the Chinese leader. An unnamed Elysee official cited by Politico mentioned that Macron’s plan to visit Guangzhou personally adds a distinctive touch to the trip.
Macron will be accompanied by Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, and executives from about 50 French companies, including Airbus.
Following Macron and von der Leyen, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell plans to visit China, with his visit anticipated in the near term. He stated that the clear message to China is to contribute to a just world and to reject aggression, a sentiment echoed after today’s meetings and recent EU visits.
Earlier, von der Leyen stressed the importance of keeping diplomatic channels with Beijing open. Fu Kong, China’s ambassador to the EU, told the Financial Times that he is optimistic and expects concrete results from European leaders’ visits. On April 3, Mao Ning noted that a healthy and stable relationship between the EU and China serves the interests of both sides and also promotes peace and stability globally.
In late February, China presented its own peace proposal for Ukraine, outlining twelve articles. The plan calls for a cessation of hostilities, the resumption of negotiations, the lifting of sanctions, respect for the sovereignty of all states, and adherence to the principle that gains should not come at the expense of any country’s security. Ukraine’s leadership criticized the plan, saying it lacked a clause about Russia’s withdrawal from Ukrainian territory. Russia indicated that China’s ideas could be considered as part of a broader peaceful resolution in the future.