China’s approach ( Part – II )

Editor’s note: This article is the transcript of an interview conducted by Al Jazeera with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The News has reproduced the interview in two parts:

Al Jazeera: China has called for international peace conferences quite a few times to resolve the Ukraine crisis through negotiations. How will China mediate in these negotiations as the primary strategic partner of Russia? Will China pressure Russia to end the war?

Wang Yi: China’s position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent, unequivocal and transparent. China is not a direct party to the conflict, and it did not start the crisis. Yet China is not an indifferent onlooker. In the two-plus years since the full escalation of the crisis, China has made tireless efforts to promote ceasefire and end the fighting. President Xi Jinping had in-depth talks with leaders of Russia, Ukraine and other countries. He stressed that peaceful negotiation is the only viable way out, and expressed China’s hope for all parties to build conditions for political settlement of the crisis through dialogue. In addition, China has released a position paper particularly on the Ukraine crisis, and its Special Representative has made many visits to relevant countries to conduct good offices, pass on messages, clarify positions, and urge all sides to seek common ground, put aside differences and build consensus.

At present, the danger of further deterioration and escalation of the crisis still exists. The international community must strengthen solidarity, pool all the efforts for peace, and take real actions to lower the temperature.

It is imperative to remain committed to political settlement. Conflicts and wars do not end on the battlefield but at the table. China supports an international conference held at a proper time that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine and that ensures equal participation of all parties as well as fair discussions of all peace plans so as to achieve early ceasefire and end the fighting.

It is imperative to uphold objectivity and impartiality. There is no panacea to defusing crises. All sides should play their due part, and build up mutual trust to create conditions for ending hostility and starting peace talks. Any attempt to exploit the chaos for selfish gains or add fuel to the flames must be firmly rejected. More important, no one should form factions or provoke bloc confrontation.

It is imperative to address both symptoms and root causes.

To uproot the crisis, we must dive deeper into the question of security. Pursuing unilateral or absolute security by willfully compressing the security space of others will inevitably tip the balance of power in the region and give rise to conflicts.

China will, together with the international community, uphold the principle of indivisible security, champion the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, accommodate legitimate security concerns of all sides, and support a balanced, effective and sustainable regional security architecture. We will work with all parties constructively to promote political settlement of the crisis, and contribute more to regional tranquility and security and enduring world peace.

Al Jazeera: On Taiwan. We have noted that eyes are on the Chinese government to see if it will take military action on China’s Taiwan region. Given Taiwan’s close ties with the United States and US continued arms sales, how do you see the situation across the Taiwan Strait?

Wang Yi: Taiwan has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times. The Cairo Declaration jointly issued by the governments of China, the United States and the United Kingdom in 1943 clearly stated that Taiwan, which Japan had stolen from the Chinese, shall be restored to China. The Potsdam Declaration of 1945 to end World War II reiterated in Article 8 that “the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out.” UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 was another unequivocal recognition of the one-China principle. These legally-binding international instruments are constituents of the postwar international order. They have further consolidated the historical and legal basis of Taiwan being an inalienable part of Chinese territory. Therefore, the Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affair, and how to achieve national reunification is a matter for the Chinese people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. We will strive for peaceful reunification with the utmost effort and greatest sincerity. In the meantime, our bottom line is also clear: we will absolutely not allow anyone to separate Taiwan from China in any way.

At present, the cross-Strait situation is stable on the whole. But it faces serious challenges as well. The biggest challenge comes from “Taiwan independence” separatist activities and external disruptions. The “Taiwan independence” elements are the troublemakers, and do the biggest harm to cross-Strait stability. Maintaining peace across the Strait inherently means resolutely opposing “Taiwan independence.” Yet some countries are giving “Taiwan independence” separatist elements more and more weapons behind the scenes, in stark contrast to their calls for peace and stability of the Strait. These moves will only increase the risk of conflict and confrontation, and seriously undermine peace and stability in the Strait and the region as a whole. China will not sit on its hands with external disruptions. No one should underestimate the firm resolve, strong will and great capability of the Chinese people to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity.

As President Xi Jinping has stressed, complete reunification of our motherland is the shared aspiration of the people, the trend of the times and a historical inevitability, and no force can stop it. China will ultimately achieve complete reunification, and Taiwan is bound to return to the embrace of the motherland. We also firmly believe that Middle East countries and the international community will stay committed to the one-China principle and support the Chinese people’s just cause of opposing “Taiwan independence” separatist activities and striving for national reunification.

Al Jazeera: On the US election and China-US relations. How does China see the election and the prospects of China-US relations?

Wang Yi: The China-US relationship bears on the wellbeing of the Chinese and American peoples and the future of humanity and the world. Last November, President Xi Jinping had a successful meeting with President Joe Biden in San Francisco upon invitation, and the two presidents agreed on a future-oriented San Francisco vision. China is sincere in improving its relations with the United States. A predictable, sustainable, healthy and stable China-US relationship serves the interests of both the Chinese and American peoples as well as the whole world.

Meanwhile, the United States still sticks to its misperception of China, and presses ahead with its misguided policy to contain China. It has recently continued to woo its so-called allies in an attempt to provoke tensions at sea in the region and build networks to contain China at a faster pace. It has kept ratcheting up its unilateral sanctions, and gone all out to constrain China’s development of science and technology. The United States should not view the world through the lens of Cold War and zero-sum mentality, and it should not say one thing but do another. The people of the world have clear eyes, and even more so for the Middle East people that can see easily who is on the right side of history and justice. What China brings to the world is cooperation, growth, stability and win-win. China’s development and rejuvenation enjoys strong internal impetus and conforms with the trend of history. It will not be stopped by any force.

The US election is an internal affair of the United States. China never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries. Meddling with others is just not the Chinese way. Whoever is elected, Chinese and American peoples will still need to have exchanges and cooperation, and the two major countries must find the right way to get along with each other. The three principles – mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation – put forward by President Xi Jinping are our fundamental guidance and goal when viewing and handling China-US relations. During his recent phone call with President Biden, President Xi pointed out once again that two big countries like China and the United States should not cut off exchanges or turn their back on each other, still less slide into conflict or confrontation. They should instead cherish peace, value stability, and uphold credibility.

The China-US relationship cannot go back to its past. But it should, and can fully, have a bright future. China is ready to work with the United States to carry out more win-win cooperation, do more that benefits the whole world, and truly fulfill their respective responsibilities to the international community.

Concluded

Excerpted: ‘‘Create harmony’: Q&A with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi’. Courtesy: Aljazeera.com