Chancellor Olaf Scholz ended his three-day trip to China on Tuesday with an important meeting in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The meeting took place at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing and was marked by a conciliatory speech. Relations between the two countries have been strained by Russia’s war in Ukraine and China’s rivalry with the United States, Germany’s larger ally.
At the beginning of his audience with the German minister, Xi called for close cooperation between the two countries. “Together we can bring greater stability and security to the world,” he said, adding: “If we adhere to the principles of mutual respect, seek common ground despite our differences and learn from each other, bilateral relations will be able to develop further.” .” .
That visit came at a time when China’s close diplomatic and trade ties with Russia were causing concern and frustration among Western nations, particularly given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and as the United States sought to pressure its allies to do so not ally with Russia Beijing.
It should be noted that Xi Jinping is preparing to host his friend Vladimir Putin again in the coming weeks and has never explicitly condemned Russia’s war against Ukraine. On the contrary, during Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s last visit a week ago, he even mentioned the need to strengthen cooperation with the Kremlin.
The Chancellor’s aim was apparently to pressure the Chinese leader to reduce his economic support for Russia and to pressure Moscow to take part in peace talks over Ukraine with the aim of resolving the conflict on terms acceptable to Kiev. according to official German sources. It could have been a way for Scholz to fulfill his obligations to Germany’s European partners, but also to say that he didn’t just come to sell cars or defend his companies. It may have been his way of responding to those who criticize him for keeping Ukraine secret, weakening Europe’s collective influence or violating Germany’s risk reduction strategy, experts say.
However, both leaders held a detailed exchange of views on the Ukraine crisis and stated that both countries are committed to adhering to the principles and postulates of the UN Charter, rejecting the use of nuclear weapons or attacks on peaceful nuclear weapons to address international food security issues appropriately solve and comply with international humanitarian law.
Xi contrasted Scholz’s concept of “just peace” with guidelines that can be used to break the spiral of violence in which Germany also finds itself. In this regard, he called on all parties to make efforts to restore peace and prevent the situation from worsening or spiraling out of control. According to Xi, four principles must be observed: “First, prioritize the overall situation of peace and stability instead of pursuing one’s own selfish interests.” In addition, efforts should be made to defuse the situation instead of adding fuel to the fire. The third measure is to create the conditions for restoring peace instead of further exacerbating the contradictions. And ultimately it is important to minimize the negative effects of the crisis on the global economy in order not to endanger the stability of global industrial and supply chains.”
The Chinese leader further recalled that his country is not a party or participant in the Ukraine crisis, but has always promoted peace talks in its own way. In fact, China encourages and supports all efforts leading to a peaceful resolution of the crisis. In addition, it supports the convening of an international peace conference in due course, in which all parties take part and at which all pacification plans are discussed on an equal basis. In this context, Beijing is prepared to maintain close contact with all parties involved, including Germany.
Words that were as acceptable as they were general, since they did not go into the core of the specific demands of the two warring parties. The stalemate comes as Zelentsky has declared that he will not accept a peace that mutilates Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and Putin has repeatedly reiterated that he will in no way renounce the territorial conquests, including those captured in 2014 Crimea will still be included in the occupied territories in the east of the country from 2022.
On the other hand, the interview showed the countries’ commitment to a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict in the Middle East and supported international efforts. Both expressed support for negotiations based on the two-state solution as a key approach to solving this problem. A Chinese Foreign Ministry statement highlighted the importance of implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 2728 to prevent further deterioration of the situation and ensure sustainable and barrier-free humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip.
China has reiterated its support for the Palestinian cause and the two-state solution while expressing concern about attacks on civilians by Israel. In line with its position, the Asian country has called on Israel to respect the United Nations Charter. In addition, he pointed out that the recent increase in tensions represents an extension of the conflict in Gaza and he therefore sees it as a priority to calm the situation in the area as quickly as possible. To achieve this, all parties are urged to effectively implement UN resolutions, immediately end hostilities and avoid a humanitarian crisis.
Accompanied by a large delegation of ministers and business people, Scholz began the visit on Sunday in the southwestern city of Chongqing, continued it in the economic center of Shanghai and concluded it in the capital. During these meetings with the Chinese leadership, topics such as Chinese overcapacity, subsidies for certain sectors and fair conditions for access to the Chinese market for European companies were discussed.
Xi once again condemned the EU’s “decoupling” strategy and said there should be “independent cooperation” to address global challenges. “Our industrial and supply chains are deeply rooted and the markets are highly interdependent. “Cooperation is not a ‘risk’, but a guarantee of the stability of bilateral relations and an opportunity to create a future,” Xi said in a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Likewise, he pointed out that both parties “must be cautious in the face of increasing protectionism and insist on examining issues related to productive capacity objectively and dialectically, on the basis of economic laws and from a market and global perspective.”