China could end Russia's war against Ukraine, Project Syndicate experts say
China could prove itself as a leader and end Russia's war against Ukraine by convening the G20, joining humanitarian aid to refugees from Ukraine, and rebuilding Ukrainian cities.
This was announced by experts from Project Syndicate, an international media organization that publishes comments and analyses on various global topics.
"The war in Ukraine is bringing the world closer to an existential crisis. Today's leaders have forgotten the lessons of the twentieth century and its terrible world wars. The peaceful dividend of the Cold War has been wasted. Two superpowers, the United States and the Russian Federation, stand on the verge of unthinkable military confrontation. The momentum of the escalating conflict threatens to become relentless, and the risk of nuclear miscalculation can no longer be ignored.
China is in a unique position to end Russia's brutal attack on Ukraine. As the world's second-largest economy with a desire for national revival and global leadership, both central to the "Chinese dream" long supported by President Xi Jinping, China has two important advantages as a potential peacemaker in the Russian-Ukrainian war," the statement says.
First, China can rely on its basic principles. Since Zhou Enlai's time in the 1950s, China has emphasized that its foreign policy is guided by five principles of peaceful coexistence, including mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. Russia's attack on Ukraine grossly violates these values.
Second, China has an advantage in partnership with Russia. At the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 4, Xi and Putin signed an expanded agreement that underscored their shared commitment to a "new era" in international relations. As the Russian economy rapidly weakens in isolation, its dependence on China becomes particularly important.
According to the project, Russia's GDP does not exceed the economies of Belgium and the Netherlands combined, and this makes it almost impossible for Russia to maintain a major conventional war. Even if it receives the military aid from China it has reportedly requested.
According to experts, China could take three important steps:
First, Xi Jinping should call for an emergency summit of G20 leaders focused on achieving an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine and developing a negotiating peace agenda.
Second, China should take the lead in providing humanitarian assistance by making a significant contribution to UNICEF that helps children. Children make up at least half of the more than 3 million Ukrainian refugees, experts say.
Third, China should become a leader in supporting Ukraine's reconstruction, including infrastructure reconstruction, through the One Belt, One Road program (Ukraine has been a member since 2017) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, led by China.
"As the United States spearheaded the Marshall Plan for European reconstruction after World War II, so China can help Ukraine today," the Project Syndicate said.
The United Nations Development Program is currently estimating $100 billion in war-related infrastructure losses, and that number will rise.
According to experts, China alone cannot resolve the fundamental disagreement that led to the Russian-Ukrainian war, but it can provide structure and commitment to the conflict resolution process, as China has much more leverage over Russia due to the new partnership agreement than Western sanctions.
