China, Spain hold talks on Ukraine, call for dialog to end war
Beijing, Mar 15 (EFE).- The foreign ministers of China and Spain spoke on telephone and called for dialog to end the war in Ukraine, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday.
In the conversation between Wang Yi and José Manuel Albares on Monday, the Spaniard said that the situation in Ukraine “threatens European peace and security, and if it is allowed to develop, it will affect the entire international community” and expressed Spain’s hope for an end the war as soon as possible “through dialog and diplomacy,” according to the ministry.
The Spanish minister hoped that China, which he reportedly described as “a great peace-loving country and a permanent member of the UN Security Council,” will play “an active role” in promoting peace.
Wang said that, since the beginning of the crisis, the Asian country “has been promoting peace and talks in its own way” and expressed optimism that the fourth round of talks between Russia and Ukraine will “achieve new progress acceptable to all parties, accumulate favorable factors for ending the conflict, and open the door to peace.”
Wang said “some forces continue to smear China’s objective and fair position on the Ukraine issue and create all kinds of false information,” but added that his country “will continue to play a constructive role in the peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis.”
Recently, some US media outlets reported that Russia had requested Chinese military support, something that Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian dismissed on Monday as “pure disinformation.”
Although Wang told Albares that China “advocated respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries,” he also noted that “the legitimate security concerns of all parties should be addressed.”
The Chinese minister said that the conflict in Ukraine was “the product of the accumulation and intensification of European security conflicts over the years,” and called for dialog and negotiations between Russia and Europe to find “reasonable solutions to their respective security concerns, and promote the establishment of a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture.”
Wang also stressed China’s opposition to the use of sanctions, saying they “have no basis in international law,” a position that China has maintained since the start of the Russian offensive.
The Chinese minister said that his country “is not a party to the crisis, nor does it want the sanctions to affect China” and urged Spain as “a stable force in Europe” to play an “active role in peacefully resolving the crisis.”
Since the start of Russian military actions in Ukraine, China has maintained an ambiguous position, calling for the territorial integrity of all countries to be respected.
It has avoided using the word “invasion” to refer to the Russian offensive while reiterating its opposition to sanctions against the Eurasian country. EFE
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