海角大神

One year into Russia鈥檚 war against Ukraine, China is offering a 12-point proposal to end the fighting.

The proposal follows China鈥檚 recent announcement that it is trying to act as mediator in the war that has re-energized Western alliances viewed by Beijing and Moscow as rivals. China鈥檚 top diplomat indicated that the plan was coming at a security conference this week in Munich, Germany.

With its release, President Xi Jinping鈥檚 government is reiterating China鈥檚 claim to being neutral, despite blocking efforts at the United Nations to condemn the invasion. The document echoes Russian claims that Western governments are to blame for the Feb. 24, 2022 invasion and criticizes sanctions on Russia.

At the Munich meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed skepticism about Beijing鈥檚 position before the plan鈥檚 release. He said China has provided non-lethal assistance that supports Russian President Vladimir Putin鈥檚 war effort and said the United States has intelligence that Beijing is 鈥渃onsidering providing lethal support.鈥� China has called the allegation a 鈥渟mear鈥� and said it lacks evidence.

What has China proposed?

China鈥檚 proposal calls for a cease-fire and peace talks, and an end to sanctions against Russia.

China placed responsibility for sanctions on other 鈥渞elevant countries鈥� without naming them. These countries, it says, 鈥渟hould stop abusing unilateral sanctions鈥� and 鈥渄o their share in de-escalating the Ukraine crisis.鈥�

Many of the 12 points were very general and did not contain specific proposals.

Without mentioning either Russia or Ukraine, it says the sovereignty of all countries should be upheld. It didn鈥檛 specify what that would look like for Ukraine, and the land taken from it since Russia seized Crimea in 2014.

The proposal also condemns a 鈥淐old War mentality,鈥� a term that often refers to the United States and the U.S.-European military alliance NATO. 鈥淭he security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs,鈥� the proposal says. Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded a promise that Ukraine will not join the bloc before the invasion.

Other points call for a cease-fire, peace talks, protection for prisoners of war, and stopping attacks on civilians, without elaborating, as well as keeping nuclear power plants safe and facilitating grain exports.

鈥淭he basic tone and the fundamental message in the policy are quite pro-Russia,鈥� said Li Mingjiang, a professor of Chinese foreign policy and international security at Singapore鈥檚 Nanyang Technological University.

Does China back Russia in its war in Ukraine?

China has offered contradictory statements regarding its stance. It says Russia was provoked into taking action by NATO鈥檚 eastward expansion but has also claimed neutrality on the war.

Ahead of Russia鈥檚 attack, Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin attended the opening of last year鈥檚 Winter Olympics in Beijing and issued a statement that their governments had a 鈥渘o limits鈥� friendship. China has since ignored Western criticism and reaffirmed that pledge.

Mr. Putin has said he expects Mr. Xi to visit Russia in the next few months. China has yet to confirm that.

China is 鈥渢rying to have it both ways,鈥� Mr. Blinken said Sunday on NBC.

鈥淧ublicly, they present themselves as a country striving for peace in Ukraine, but privately, as I said, we鈥檝e seen already over these past months the provision of non-lethal assistance that does go directly to aiding and abetting Russia鈥檚 war effort.鈥�

Has China provided support to Russia?

China鈥檚 support for Russia has been largely rhetorical and political. Beijing has helped to prevent efforts to condemn Moscow at the United Nations. There is no public evidence it is currently supplying arms to Russia, but the U.S. has said China is providing non-lethal support already and may do more.

Mr. Blinken, at the Munich conference, said the United States has long been concerned that China would provide weapons to Russia. 鈥淲e have information that gives us concern that they are considering providing lethal support to Russia,鈥� he said.

Mr. Blinken said he expressed to the Chinese envoy to the meeting, Wang Yi, that 鈥渢his would be a serious problem.鈥�

NATO鈥檚 chief said Wednesday that he had seen some signs that China might be ready to provide arms and warned that would be it would be supporting a violation of international law.

Russian and Chinese forces have held joint drills since the invasion, most recently with the South African navy in a shipping lane off the South African coast.

Ukraine鈥檚 defense minister Oleksii Reznikov expressed doubt about China鈥檚 willingness to send lethal aid to Russia.

鈥淚 think that if China will help them 鈥� it will not [be] weaponry. It will [be] some kinds of like clothes,鈥� Mr. Reznikov said in Kyiv Monday.

This story was reported by The Associated Press.