China鈥檚 President Xi Jinping applauds during the closing session of the National People鈥檚 Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 13, 2023. NOEL CELIS/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that Beijing鈥檚 proposal on how to solve the Ukraine crisis reflects global views and seeks to neutralize consequences, but acknowledged that the solutions are not easy.
In an article published at the start of his visit to Moscow 鈥� the first by a world leader since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for the Russian President Vladimir Putin 鈥� Xi also called for 鈥減ragmatism鈥� on Ukraine.
The China proposal, a 12-point paper released last month, represents 鈥渁s much as possible the unity of the world community鈥檚 views,鈥� Xi wrote in an article in Rossiiskaya Gazeta, a daily published by the Russian government, according to Reuters鈥� translation from Russian.
鈥淭he document serves as a constructive factor in neutralizing the consequences of the crisis and promoting a political settlement. Complex problems do not have simple solutions.鈥�
Xi has been seeking to present China as a global peace maker and project it as a responsible great power. China has publicly remained neutral in the Ukraine conflict, while criticizing Western sanctions against Russia and reaffirming its close ties with Moscow.
The United States and Nato have recently accused China of considering supplying arms to Russia and warned Beijing against such a move. China has dismissed the accusations.
A peaceful resolution to the situation in Ukraine, Xi wrote, would also 鈥渆nsure the stability of global production and supply chains.鈥�
He called for a 鈥渞ational way鈥� out of the crisis, which would be 鈥渇ound if everyone is guided by the concept of common, comprehensive, joint and sustainable security, and continue dialogue and consultations in an equal, prudent and pragmatic manner.鈥�
Xi said that his trip to Russia is aimed at strengthening the friendship between the two countries, 鈥渁n all-encompassing partnership and strategic interaction,鈥� in a world threatened by 鈥渁cts of hegemony, despotism and bullying.鈥�
鈥淭here is no universal model of government and there is no world order where the decisive word belongs to a single country,鈥� Xi wrote. 鈥淕lobal solidarity and peace without splits and upheavals is in the common interests of all mankind.鈥�