China's stance on the Ukraine issue and the role it can play
- By Yu Sui
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E-mail China.org.cn, April 3, 2015
Last year, on March 5, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a hotline call to inform Chinese President Xi Jinping of his understanding of the Ukrainian changes and Russia's stance and response. Xi stated China's stance and said that for all the accidental factors in the matter, the Ukraine crisis has its own inevitability. "The current situation in the country," Xi said, "is highly complex and sensitive and carries considerable implications for the regional and international situations." He said China supported the international community's mediation efforts to ease tensions in the region.
When, five days later, U.S. President Barack Obama invited President Xi for a hotline talk discussing the Ukraine crisis, Xi assured Obama that China would "take an objective and fair attitude" towards the matter, saying that "the most urgently needed right now is that all parties remain cool-headed and exercise self-restraint to prevent the situation from worsening."
The international community seems to feel rather disappointed and powerless to see the Ukraine crisis last so long. At this time, the world is expecting China to play a substantial role. However, what China should and can do may not be exactly that expected by the international community. All China can do is no more than three things. First, it can mediate between Russia and Ukraine using its good rapport with both countries. Second, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it can exercise certain influence with its objective, fair, impartial and peace-loving attitude in discussions at the UN for any resolutions on the Ukrainian issue. Third, it can make diplomatic contact with the U.S. and EU to help ease the tension in their relations with Russia.
Some people alleged that the Ukraine crisis had benefited China, saying that the issue had drawn much of Washington's attention and thus eased the pressure on China in the East. That's a groundless speculation. China never gloats at others' misfortune. It is China's hope that tensions in the regional are eased as soon as possible and the Ukrainian people no longer suffer the disasters of conflict.
Some others said the intensified contradiction between Russia and the U.S. caused both countries to woo China for support. That may be correct, but the situation was not caused by China, who in its true intention wants to keep good relations with the two countries. It is Washington who should be reminded that "using two hands simultaneously" to hit both Russia and China is an unwise strategy.
There is also speculation that imposing sanctions on Russia will backfire to inflict losses on the EU itself, who will have to seek a better relationship with China. That may be true. It is advisable for the EU to ease up on its trade protectionism against China.
In all, China's stance on the Ukraine issue is just and impartial but its role will be limited.
Yu Sui is a professor at the China Center for Contemporary World Studies.
The article was first published at Chinausfocus.com To see the original version please visit http://www.chinausfocus.com/foreign-policy/chinas-stance-on-the-ukraine-issue-and-the-role-it-can-play/
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