Senior Chinese official underlines support for Ukraine territorial integrity

Wang Yi tells Munich Security Conference that a framework text for peace negotiated by Ukraine and Russia must be revived

Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi at the 2023 Munich Security Conference. Getty

China has voiced its support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine as it prepares to release a position paper on the war almost a year into the fighting.

At the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, State Councillor Wang Yi called for dialogue to resolve the conflict so that the principles of UN are upheld.

The closely watched appearance by the People's Republic's most senior foreign affairs official set out the basis of Beijing's approach to the Russian invasion.

Mr Wang said he was deeply concerned by the crisis, and while Beijing was not directly concerned it “does not stand idly by and does not add fuel to the fire”. He issued a warning about "some forces" that do not want Ukraine-Russia peace talks to succeed.

He said what was needed was a revival of a framework text that Russia and Ukraine could explore at the negotiating table to ensure the warfare did not continue and that confrontation between major powers would be averted.

With European leaders committing arms to Ukraine, Mr Wang issued a plead not only for protagonists but all concerned countries to think calmly, “especially our friends in Europe”.

In this sense, the bloc would be able to ensure its own manifest autonomy. As a reassurance to the Europeans, Mr Wang said the Chinese position paper would include lines that territorial integrity and sovereignty be respected.

In a gesture to Russian interests, he added that legitimate security concerns must be respected. In addition, Mr Wang said nuclear war must not be fought and cannot be won.

In response to Washington's shooting down of what the US called a Chinese spy balloon, as well as several other airborne objects, Mr Wang said the episode was “hysterical and absurd”.

“There are many balloons from many countries in the sky. Do you want to down each and every one of them?

“We urge the United States not to do such preposterous things simply to divert attention from its own domestic problems.”

Asked to provide a reassurance that there was no imminent prospect of military activity over Taiwan, Mr Wang said the status quo was what mattered.

He also hinted the US was working to impede the development of the Chinese economy, describing the US Chips and Science Act as “100 per cent protectionism.

The observation underlined his basic point that power politics are should not take a superior role over the principle that the integrity of all countries must be respected.

After a meeting with German chancellor Olaf Scholz on“the Ukraine issue” the Chinese state news agency Xinhua said both countries were cooperating on the fallout from the crisis.

“Wang said that China and Germany, both independent major countries, shoulder common responsibility for maintaining world peace and addressing global challenges,” Xinhua reported.