China on the move, seizing the moment for peaceful resolution in Ukraine

Mar 18, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is expected to meet with his Russian counterpart in a week’s time. The visit will no doubt examine ways of finding a way out of the current war in Ukraine which has already gone past a full year.

China has already put forward a 12-point peace proposal which, among other things, calls for a peaceful resolution to the war, respect for sovereignty and the non-use of nuclear weapons. The proposal seems to have evoked a positive response from the Ukrainian President Vladomir Zelensky who indicated an interest in meeting with the Chinese President. It is interesting to see how the discussions will play out, but one hopes that it could lay the basis for a resolution to the conflict which has taken a significant toll not only on the Ukrainian people and its economy but the world as a whole

As I have written in several previous letters, the war cannot be won on the battlefield and requires a diplomatic and negotiated solution. Credit must be given to the Chinese government for putting something on the table. It may not be exactly what both sides are looking for, but it could certainly provide some food for thought to all the parties involved.

Yours truly,

Hydar Ally 

• Chinese leader, counterpart, Hydar Ally, Russian, Xi Jinping