Beijing is calling on all parties involved in the war in Ukraine to reach a "firm and binding" peace agreement, emphasizing that the "doors to dialogue are finally open."
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made these remarks during his speech at the Munich Security Conference, as reported by The Guardian. According to the diplomat, the PRC hopes for a political settlement of the war, despite the country not being a direct participant in the conflict.
"China is not a directly involved party. The final word does not rest with us. We are merely facilitating peace negotiations," the minister emphasized.
Wang Yi stressed that Beijing supports the talks and continues to send a clear signal regarding the necessity of a swift cessation of hostilities. He specifically highlighted Europe's role in this process, employing a vivid metaphor.
"Europe should not be on the menu, but at the negotiating table. We now see that Europe has found the courage to speak with Russia. This is good. We support this," the Chinese minister stated.
Previously, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker expressed conviction that China could stop the war with a single phone call to Putin. In his view, Beijing is capable of ending the conflict as early as tomorrow if it halts the sale of dual-use technologies and refuses to purchase Russian energy resources.
According to the American ambassador, Russia's war against Ukraine is "entirely enabled by China." Beijing and Moscow have significantly strengthened their partnership since the start of the invasion, and Russia remains critically dependent on the Asian giant for drone components and other military equipment.