BEIJING: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has asked Beijing to push “the Russian aggressor to stop the war” in Ukraine, adding “no other country has more influence on Russia than China.”
A joint press briefing with her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang following their discussion, she said that it was encouraging that China has signaled its commitment to finding a solution. Still, she said, she must admit that why the Chinese position does not include a call for the aggressor Russia to end the war.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Moscow, according to Baerbock, demonstrated “that no other country has more influence on Russia than China.” During her maiden visit to China, she stated that, just as China has successfully mediated a peaceful settlement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, we would like China to persuade Russia to halt its aggressiveness and join in a peaceful dispute resolution.
Baerbock’s visit follows those of French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who pushed Beijing, a close, longstanding friend of Moscow, to play a larger role in settling the Ukrainian conflict. China claims to be neutral on the matter and has never condemned Russia’s invasion. Baerbock also warned of a “horror scenario” if “military escalation” occurred in the Taiwan Strait, just days after Beijing conducted military drills near the self-ruled island.
She stated that a military escalation in the Taiwan Strait, which, as previously stated, shutters 50% of global trade every day, would be a nightmare scenario for the entire globe. During her conversation with her counterpart, Baerbock also highlighted concerns about human rights limitations and the shrinking area for civil society activity in China. She told reporters that she is concerned that the opportunity for civil society activity in China is narrowing and that human rights are being limited.
