- by C Bartholomew
- The Guardian
- Issue #2111
Photo: triin – flickr.com (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
China’s diplomatic efforts have been subject to largely unfriendly discussion in Western media recently, following China’s recent talks with Ukrainian officials. While most of the world sees these and other diplomatic efforts as a positive avenue for peace, the USA and its allies have been quick to smear such actions, revealing more about themselves than China.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba led a delegation to Guangzhou, in China’s Guangdong Province, in July this year. Discussions at this meeting, the first since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in 2022, focused not only on China and Ukraine’s relationship, but the future of Ukraine’s attitude towards both Russia and the West. Kuleba announced that Ukraine is willing and prepared to begin negotiations with Russia, while acknowledging China and Brazil’s joint outline of six understandings for a political resolution to the conflict. This readiness, Kuleba qualified, is reliant on good faith from Russian leadership. Russia has been issuing similar statements in support of peace negotiations. The question now is what compromises will be made by either side, as both seek to protect their interests.
Some Chinese experts have stated that Kuleba’s four-day visit to China may in part have been motivated by uncertainty in Washington. Biden’s withdrawal and the potential of a Trump re-election pose a risk to Ukraine of abandonment by the US, or pressure to cede sovereignty and territory to ensure a quick resolution. The West’s plans to carve up a post-war Ukraine to suit Western corporate interests has been known for some time, with the plan already underway given the selling off of Ukrainian assets and industry for a pittance. With the acceleration of Israel’s genocidal colonisation of Palestine and a shift in Western rhetoric towards confrontation with China, Ukraine may indeed already be feeling abandoned. Ukraine’s move towards discussions with China and potential peace negotiations are therefore likely to be a pragmatic measure.
TAIWAN
Kuleba has stated that Ukraine greatly appreciates China’s role in encouraging peace negotiations and maintaining international order. Kuleba also said that China and Ukraine are friends and expressed support for China’s stance on Taiwan. These statements are at direct odds with US talking points, as the West has continually attempted to conflate the Russia-Ukraine conflict with the issue of Taiwan. Recent AUKUS propaganda has tried very hard to establish the idea of an “Axis of Upheaval,” composed of an alleged “cabal” made up of Russia, China, Iran, and the DPRK. It has become increasingly apparent that the US and its allies are terrified of multipolarity, the end of the US stranglehold over global economics and politics.
WESTERN SPIN
It is no wonder, then, that China’s growing status as a world leader in diplomatic efforts has been under attack by the press. The spin from Western media outlets such as CNN has largely been that China is trying to clean up its image by presenting itself as a force for peace in the wake of Western criticism of China’s Russia ties. Indeed, these outlets and the Western ‘experts’ they quote from have alleged that China is merely attempting to pressure Ukraine into making a deal amenable to Russian interests. Of course, this analysis completely ignores the fact that China has maintained a consistent position since the very beginning of the conflict, one which promotes diplomatic solutions and international dialogue.
Only time will tell whether China’s efforts will lead to a diplomatic resolution in Ukraine. Zelensky has made calls for Russia to be present at the next round of peace conferences, the first of which attended exclusively by Ukraine and Western powers. Whether these sentiments will result in substantial peace negotiations is unclear. In the meantime, those of us in the West must continue to call out hypocrisy and keep up demands for proper action, perhaps by following China’s lead.
