- US arguments that China’s peace plan, which includes a call for ceasefire, would ratify Russia’s conquest and give it time to rearm simply don’t hold water.
- Given the risk of nuclear war, any nation genuinely interested in the well-being of the people of the world should not obstruct a ceasefire.
Amid the fighting in Ukraine, China in February released a 12-point paper outlining its position on a “political settlement” to the war. In what is seen as China’s peace plan, Beijing calls for the respect of the sovereignty of all countries, and opposes unilateral sanctions. It also proposes a ceasefire and a return to negotiations.
China’s peace plan resonates in much of the world. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has criticised the US for not seeking peace, praised the initiative and suggested the world needs more peacemakers, like China. This is typical of the position in the Global South as they look to China to help end a war that has wrought enormous misery in the world.
In Europe, where China’s motives have been questioned, several leaders appear to be seeing value in China’s initiative. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was in Beijing this week to discuss peace prospects. French President Emmanuel Macron, who recently billed China’s peace efforts as “positive”, also plans to confer on the initiative during his planned trip to Beijing next week.
R&I-Rawr
Free Assange