China Says In Touch With All Parties on Seeking Ceasefire in Ukraine

Chinese FM Qin Gang also warned against EU sanctions on Chinese companies accused of supporting Russia

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Tuesday that China would communicate with all relevant parties in its efforts to push for a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Qin made the comments alongside his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, in Berlin. “As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and responsible major country, China will neither watch the fire from the other bank nor add fuel to the fire,” he said,

“China is willing to maintain communication with relevant parties, including Germany, to achieve an early ceasefire,” Qin added. After Chinese President Xi Jinping recently held a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Beijing announced it would send a special envoy to Ukraine to work toward a ceasefire.

China is sending Li Hui, a fluent Russian speaker who served as the Chinese ambassador to Russia for 10 years until 2019. Other countries have joined Beijing’s calls for peace in Ukraine, including Brazil. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Tuesday that he would offer Brazil as a mediator to settle the war in Ukraine on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Japan later this month.

Qin also warned against EU plans to sanction Chinese companies for allegedly supporting Russia’s war effort. According to Financial Times, the EU has a list of potential sanctions that includes eight Chinese companies over claims that they’re selling equipment that could be used in weapons.

“There is a normal exchange and co-operation between Chinese and Russian companies . . . [this] must not be disrupted,” Qin said. He warned that China would respond to any EU sanctions.

“We are against states introducing extraterritorial or one-sided sanctions on China or any other country according to their own domestic laws. And if that were to happen we would react strictly and firmly. We will defend the legitimate interests of our country and our companies,” he said.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.