One day after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke on the phone about bilateral ties and the Ukraine crisis, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the special representative of the Chinese government to Ukraine will be someone who is knowledgeable about pertinent affairs and can positively promote peace talks.
China will continue to cooperate with the international community to play a positive role in the political resolution of the Ukrainian problem, stressed Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry. The ministry would disclose additional details on the matter in due course, she added.
During the phone chat with his Ukrainian counterpart, Xi emphasised that China, a responsible big country and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, will not choose to be a bystander to the Ukraine issue, “add fuel to the fire,” or use the crisis as an opportunity to earn money.
“China always supports peace in the Ukraine crisis, and China’s fundamental position is to advance peace through dialogue,” Xi said.
Every action China takes is legal. The only workable solution is to engage in dialogue and negotiation. According to the Chinese president, nuclear battles have no victor.
In regards to the nuclear issue, Mao stated at the press conference on Thursday that all relevant parties must maintain composure and restraint, truly act in the interests of their own futures and those of humanity, and jointly manage the crisis. He also added that since more people are beginning to think rationally and speak out, it is crucial to take advantage of this and create favourable conditions for the political resolution of the crisis.
The political basis for ties between China and Ukraine is the respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. China has consistently and unequivocally expressed its willingness to improve ties with Ukraine. China will continue to work with Ukraine to deepen their mutually beneficial relations regardless of how the global situation changes, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reaffirmed.
According to a decree published on the Ukrainian president’s website, Zelenskyy named Pavlo Ryabikin, a former minister of strategic industries, as Ukraine’s new ambassador to China on Wednesday.
At the press conference, Mao said that China welcomes the newly appointed ambassador from Ukraine and is willing to make his performance of duties as convenient as possible.
