War in Ukraine. what does the Chinese “peace plan” actually contain?

China’s position in the Ukrainian war has never ceased to be unambiguous. From the very first days of the Russian invasion, the Middle Kingdom called for always abstaining from voting in the UN General Assembly, never condemning the invasion while calling for a resolution to the conflict. A way to save the goat and the cabbage, to put them in the middleman position. On Monday, the newly elected President of China, Xi Jinping, left for Russia on a state visit, praising the strength of their bilateral partnership.

On this occasion, Vladimir Putin said that he is ready to discuss the “peace plan” proposed by Beijing to settle the conflict in Ukraine. “We are always open to the negotiation process. We will certainly consider all these matters, including your initiatives, which we respect.– said the Russian President. On Tuesday, he accused Ukraine of not wanting this “peace plan”.

This document, published on February 24, actually “peace planstrictly speaking. It is also titled:China’s position on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis“. Le Figaro returns to the 12 points of this text, which are rather a catalog of good intentions and a way for China to place its bets.

Illuminate the war

Respect the sovereignty of all countries. In its first point, China calls for respect for “universally recognized law, including the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter“. to know “sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries“. Therefore, this assumption also applies to Russia. But the Kremlin insists that it respects this principle, because for it the annexed territories are an integral part of Russian sovereignty.

Letting go of the Cold War mentality. In its second point, China claims that “the security of one country should not be sought at the expense of others“and”The security of the region should not be ensured by the strengthening or expansion of military blocs“. This position is clearly aimed at NATO, which wants to soon integrate Finland, which borders Russia, and even Ukraine in the long term. First of all, we are talking about the discourse that the Kremlin conducted before the invasion of Ukraine.

Stop military operations and resume peace negotiations. in these third and fourth points, China assumes the role of mediator, calling for “global ceasefire” and on restart “dialogue and negotiation“for”open the door to political settlement as soon as possible“. But these two points seem to be a pious wish, because the demand of each is absolutely incompatible for the time being. On the one hand, Moscow demands that Ukraine accept “new territorial realitiesand therefore the borders of Russia, including the four regions of Ukraine. On the other hand, Kiev demands to restore “Territorial IntegrityHence a return to borders before the Russian invasion of February 24, 2022, and even before 2014. Two irreconcilable positions until one of the warring parties collapses or both camps accept the idea that neither of them can fully win; .

Reduce collateral risks

Resolve the humanitarian crisis and protect civilians and prisoners of war. In these fifth and sixth points, China believes that “humanitarian issues should not be politicizedand calls for creationhumanitarian corridorsfor the evacuation of civilians. Beijing is also asking the warring parties.avoid attacks on civilians or civilian objectshere are clearly Russian campaigns of mass strikes against energy infrastructure and Ukrainian cities.

Ensuring the safety of nuclear power plants. In this seventh point, China clearly calls not to use Ukrainian nuclear facilities as military leverage. This request is particularly affected by the battles over the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. Since February 24, the infrastructure has been the target of violent clashes, raising fears of a potential nuclear accident.

Reduce strategic risks. “nuclear weapons should not be used and nuclear wars should not be foughtChina states in its eighth point. And add:The threat or use of nuclear weapons must be countered“. This obvious principle is aimed at Russia and, to a lesser extent, at NATO countries with nuclear weapons. But the Kremlin will be able to defend itself, given that it has never openly threatened to use these weapons, since since the beginning of the war it has been content to “has his entire arsenal available“…

save the world economy

Facilitation of grain export. In its ninth point, China calls for “all parties to implement the “Black Sea Grain” initiative signed by Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations“. An advice that interested parties are happy to do, because the agreement has already been extended on March 18, Turkey announced.

Stop unilateral sanctions. The tenth point of the Chinese document is directly addressed to the West. According to the Middle Kingdom,unilateral sanctions and maximum pressure cannot solve the problem“. So he calls outstop the abuseof these countermeasures. If China has such a firm position on this issue, it is because the sanctions against Russia also affect it. And that he, in turn, may be hit by it if he is drawn deeper into the conflict.

Maintain the sustainability of industrial and supply chains; In this eleventh point, China also considers its own case. “All parties should sincerely protect the existing global economic system and oppose using the global economy as a tool or weapon for political purposes.“, he writes. This proposal that applies to sectorsenergy, finance, food trade and transportis closely related to the previous one, as it also affects China.

Contribute to post-conflict reconstruction. Through this twelfth and final point, China wishes to once again demonstrate its role as a major nation, anticipating the post-war period. “China is ready to provide assistance and play a constructive role in this matter.“, he says. While Ukraine is already trying to mobilize its international allies on the issue, Beijing intends to bring its stone to the building to have a little more weight on the world stage in the end of the conflict.