(With the courtesy of the author Dr Imran Khalid)

In the run up to the anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Biden administration, which had hardly shifted its spy balloon drive to the lower gears in the third week of February, started a new campaign against China on the pretext of alleged supply of weapons to Russia. There was a sudden rush in the America thrust against China on this matter. It was expected that after its miserable failure to malign China through the balloon episode, the Biden administration would knit a new narrative against China - but this time in the Ukraine imbroglio. There is visible desperation in the White House to waft the anti-China hype through these new allegations pertaining to weapons supplies to Moscow. But, Beijing, which has categorically refuted such allegations, has come up with a very rationale proposal for the peaceful resolution of the prolonged conflict in Ukraine.

In the midst of all the talk about red lines and escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, China has once again chosen a path of diplomacy and political agreement with the release of its peace paper on the settlement of the Ukraine crisis. This stands in stark contrast to the rhetoric coming from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who had suggested that China would be crossing a red line if it were to send weapons to Russia. On February 24, the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, China issued a position paper titled “China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis,” systematically elaborating on China’s stance in 12 points. This is perhaps the first such serious and comprehensive blueprint forwarded by any country to resolve this bloody conflict which is expected to become more dreadful in the coming spring.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has been advocating a peaceful and rationale deal since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis. XI insists that a long-term war of attrition is not a sustainable solution for anyone, especially for developing countries that need to focus on achieving their development goals. China’s position paper is a reflection of its sincere and genuine commitment to promoting peace talks and finding a rational and peaceful solution to the crisis. President Xi Jinping has outlined four principles, called for joint efforts in four areas, and shared three observations on Ukraine, playing a responsible and constructive role in easing the situation and resolving the crisis. China’s position on the Ukrainian issue is one of “active neutrality,” which reflects the demands of both Russia and Ukraine and addresses broader international issues such as nuclear war, food security, and global strategic stability.

It is a highly condensed and specific document that fully recognizes the complexity and difficulty of the issue, and shows China’s responsible attitude of not standing idly by, not fueling the fire, and opposing taking advantage of the situation. This document broaches 12 areas: respecting the sovereignty of all countries, forsaking the Cold War mentality, ending hostilities, recommencing peace talks, addressing the humanitarian crisis, protecting civilians and prisoners of war, keeping nuclear power plants safe, reducing strategic risks, facilitating grain exports, terminating unilateral sanctions, keeping industrial and supply chains stable, and promoting post-conflict reconstruction.

The main tenet of the document is that, while complex problems do not have simple solutions, the international community should not give up on dialogue and negotiation. China’s position paper reflects the efforts to resolve disputes through table talks. Dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis. All efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis must be encouraged and supported. The international community should stay committed to the right approach of promoting talks for peace, help parties to the conflict open the door to a political settlement as soon as possible, and create conditions and platforms for the resumption of negotiation. The paper has emphasized that no person, country, or international organization can achieve an immediate solution to the Ukraine crisis, but we should persist in seeking a political solution and give peace a chance. “Dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis. All efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis must be encouraged and supported. The international community should stay committed to the right approach of promoting talks for peace, help parties to the conflict open the door to a political settlement as soon as possible, and create conditions and platforms for the resumption of negotiation. China will continue to play a constructive role in this regard,” is how this peace paper describes China’s proposal for the peaceful resolution of the conflict.

However, there are those in the US and the West who do not seem to want the warring parties to return to the negotiating table and are pursuing their own interests. The so-called “China responsibility” theory has emerged in various shapes, with the US and NATO unreasonably and unjustifiably claiming that China “may provide weapons to Russia” in order to pressure China. Ironically, the US and the West are questioning and attacking China’s for its growing closeness with Russia on the one hand, while at the same time, they are expecting China to use its clout to influence Moscow to ease its stance on the Ukraine crisis. This is paradoxical. It is especially necessary for the political elites in the US and the West to carefully study the 12-point position paper by China. Although it is aimed at the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, it can also serve as a reference for the turbulence and conflicts that occur elsewhere in the world.

The peace paper has universal application to all the hotspots across the globe. How to prevent humanitarian tragedies from happening at the source and achieve lasting peace and universal security is what the world needs to ponder most on the one-year anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The position and views proposed by China will also endure over time and exhibit their true value over the course of history. China’s position paper on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis reflects its sincere and genuine commitment to promoting peace talks and finding a rational and peaceful solution to the conflict. It is an abbreviated and specific document that fully recognizes the complexity and difficulty of the issue, and shows China’s responsible attitude of not watching silently, not pouring oil on the fire, and discouraging taking advantage of the situation. The US and the West should carefully study China’s position paper and consider it a reference for the turbulence and conflicts that occur elsewhere in the world. China’s position offers a sensible, rational, and appropriate roadmap for ending the Ukraine crisis and promoting global peace and stability. It is time for the US and its allies to abandon their belligerent rhetoric and embrace the kind of multilateral diplomacy that China espouses. (The article was published in Pakistani newspaper The Nation on Feburary 27, 2023.)