Critical Reflection

Position Paper on China

Amina, Olivia, William

Over the past year, Ukrainian leadership has tried to essentially eliminate Russian culture

and identity within its own borders. This is due to Ukraine trying to sever any ethnic-ties its

people have to Russia and to eliminate pro-Russian sentiments while the war goes on.

These measures by Ukraine are currently being looked at as violations of international law

provided by the UN, as they condemn any and all forms of religious intolerance. On 17 Jan.

in a UN summit world leaders met and Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for

Human Rights in the OHCHR, was one of the global officials who decided to point out

this religious intolerance going on in sovereign Ukraine and also in Russian controlled

territories, and called on the many world leaders to support their stance on stopping

religious intolerance within these two states. Currently, China has economic ties to both

states, thereby facing financial consequences if they intervene on others' behalf. China

relies on Ukrainian capital for imports, as Ukraine has purchased almost $300 million in

goods and services from China. China has also become one of the few nations willing to

deal with Russia now as a result of economic sanctions levied on Russia from western

nations resulting from the invasion, which has rendered Russia without a lot of trading

partners. When it comes to global affairs, China under President Xi Jinping has also had

a record of being non-interventionist. Except for economic projects like the silk and road

initiative, China has wanted to stay out of international conflict and instead focus on

building and growing itself as a world power.

When it comes to China’s neutrality concerning the war in Ukraine, it is necessary to analyse

some of the historical, economic, and geopolitical factors. Historically, China has relied for

decades on non-interventionist policies when it concerns the internal affairs of other nations.

This policy was established in 1949 along with the Republic of China, and since then it has

been one of the core components of Chinese foreign policy. Moreover, the neutral stance

regarding the war in Ukraine can also be attributed to the economic ties China has with both

Russia and Ukraine. Russia is one of China’s largest trading partners, and the two countries

have a long-standing economic relationship that has only grown stronger in recent years.

Similarly, China is a significant investor in Ukraine, and in recent years, the two nations have

also worked to improve their commercial ties. Furthermore, China's geopolitical interests are

also a factor in its neutrality towards the conflict in Ukraine. China sees itself as a rising

global power, and it has been working to expand its influence in the international community.

As such, it is important for China to maintain good relationships with both Russia and

Ukraine, as any conflict between these two countries could have far-reaching implications for

China's own security and economic interests.

Nonetheless, it is undeniable that the recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping

and Russian President Vladimir Putin has implications for the future of the international order

in several ways. Firstly, the meeting highlights the continued warming of relations between

China and Russia, which have been drawing closer in recent years as both countries seek to

counterbalance the United States' influence in the international system. The two leaders'

meeting included discussions on issues such as cybersecurity, energy, and regional security,

and underscored the deepening strategic partnership between the two countries.

Secondly, the meeting represents a potential challenge to the existing global power structure

dominated by Western countries, particularly the United States. Both China and Russia have

been critical of what they see as a Western-dominated international order, and have been

seeking to promote alternative visions of global governance that place greater emphasis on

the role of non-Western powers. The Xi-Putin meeting, therefore, may be seen as a signal to

the world that China and Russia are continuing to work together to challenge the established

order and promote their own interests. Finally, the meeting also has implications for regional

security in Asia and Europe. China and Russia have both been involved in various disputes

with neighbouring countries, such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and tensions in the

South China Sea. The meeting between Xi and Putin could therefore signal a potential

alignment of interests between the two countries in these regional conflicts, which could

have significant implications for the balance of power in these regions.

China has refrained from condemning Russia for invading Ukraine, and they did not

acknowledge their own assistance to Russia. The Chinese government currently has faced a

lot of criticism recently on the international stage for failing to condemn Russia. The Chinese

have refused to criticise Russia for its actions or to even call it an invasion; moreover, they

also insist that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations must be upheld. However,

there is whether China is willing to convert the opinion into actual material.

In addition, the Chinese have recently released a document on its position on the Ukrainian

crisis. They advocated the political settlement of the crisis and rejecting the Cold War

mentality and unilateral sanctions. When it comes to Ukraine, China believes that the more

difficulties there are, the greater there is a need for peace. Many spectators suggest that

China is trying to have it both ways; they publicly show support, and they strive for peace in

Ukraine; however, privately they have also been seen providing assistance and aid to

Russians' war effort.

The People’s Republic of China have stated that the religious issues regarding the invasion

in Ukraine is a very complex issue, and it should be handled properly, and we can hope that

it reaches a peaceful resolution. Currently, conflict and war are a benefit to no one. All

parties must be rational and should try to prevent the crisis from furthering. We should end

this ‘Cold War mentality’. However, the relationship between China and Russia is still

becoming closer, especially in recent times as they have the same views in opposing the

western international order.

Gerasymchuk, S., & Poita, Y. (2018). Ukraine-china after 2014: A new chapter in the

relationship: Opportunities and prospects, obstacles and risks (pp. 1-16). Kyiv: Friedrich

Ebert Foundation in Ukraine.

McCarthy, S. and Picheta, R. (2023) “China’s Xi stresses close ties with ‘dear friend’ Putin

during his first visit to Russia since Ukraine invasion.”

McDonell, S. (2023) “Ukraine war: China's claim to neutrality fades with Moscow visit,” BBC

News, 22 February. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-64735707

(Accessed: March 20, 2023).