Ukraine war: China issues 12-point paper calling for ceasefire

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Destruction in Mariupol in southern Ukraine

Photo: SERGEI ILNITSKY / EPA

China has called for a ceasefire in the Ukraine war.

A much-anticipated 12-point paper released by the Foreign Ministry in Beijing on Friday also calls for an immediate resumption of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

"Dialogue and negotiations are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis," says the position paper.

However, China's efforts to become more involved with proposals had previously been viewed with skepticism, as China has not yet condemned Russia's war of aggression.

In addition, China is apparently itself negotiating with the Russians over a supply of kamikaze drones.

According to SPIEGEL information, the Chinese drone manufacturer Xi'an Bingo Intelligent Aviation Technology has agreed to produce and test 100 drones of the ZT-180 prototype and to deliver them to the Russian Ministry of Defense by April.

According to military experts, each ZT-180 should be able to carry a warhead of 35 to 50 kilograms.

The design is likely to be similar to that of Iran's Shahed-136 kamikaze drone, they say.

The Russian army has used hundreds of them in its attacks in Ukraine.

The victims were often civilians, the Russians aimed at residential buildings, power plants, district heating systems.

Such plans for arms deliveries are directly opposed to a call for peace negotiations.

Nonetheless, the 12-point document states: "All parties should support Russia and Ukraine to work in the same direction and ultimately achieve a comprehensive ceasefire."

“Conflict and war serve no one.

All parties must remain rational, exercise restraint and avoid fanning the flames and prevent the crisis from worsening or even spiraling out of control.”

In addition, China demands that the principles of the United Nations must be strictly observed.

Clear demand for renunciation of the use of nuclear weapons

"The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be effectively maintained," says the first point of the paper, which observers often refer to Ukraine's original borders.

At the same time, however, it also calls for the "legitimate security interests of all countries to be taken seriously."

Diplomats see this formulation as a clear indication of Russia's argument that it must defend itself against the United States and NATO.

In the document, China also calls for a reduction in the strategic risks of war: "Nuclear weapons must not be used, and nuclear wars must not be fought." The threat of using nuclear weapons should also be rejected.

The paper is entitled "China's position on the political solution to the Ukraine crisis".

However, diplomats in Beijing have been cautious about describing the proposals as a "new peace initiative" or a "peace plan."

Reference was made to China's special proximity to Russia and its lack of neutrality.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began a year ago, China has always backed Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing the US and NATO as the real cause of the crisis.

jok/dpa