China presents peace plan for Ukraine: ‘Contains nothing new’

China presented a peace plan for Ukraine and Russia last night as promised. Today, exactly one year ago the war in Ukraine started.

In its peace plan, China calls on Russia and Ukraine not to use nuclear weapons. Beijing offers a ceasefire and asks the parties not to “aggravate the crisis further”. But how? China does not explain it.

“This is not a peace plan”

Initial reactions to the Chinese peace plan are not positive. A European diplomat in China told the Reuters news agency that “this is not a peace plan”.

A Ukrainian diplomat told the same news agency that it was strange that the plan was not shared with Ukraine. They wouldn’t have received it until the Chinese Foreign Ministry published it online last night. Ukraine wants China to step up its efforts to end the war.

“Difficulty with own position”

Correspondent Roland Smid says the peace plan was eagerly awaited. “It’s just a rehearsal of movements,” he says.

“It shows that China is grappling with its own position in the conflict. It wants to play a part in the solution, but it doesn’t want to offend Russia.”

Meanwhile, last night at a United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York, a vote was taken on the Russian invasion.

A large majority (141 countries) of the 193 member states condemned the war the Kremlin launched last year. But China abstained from voting. “It’s written on the wall,” Smid said.

The war “NATO’s fault”

And there is perhaps an even clearer signal that China is not as neutral as it seems. In Shanghai, Smid watched Russian propaganda copied from Chinese state media all week.

For example, Chinese television programs say that the war is NATO’s fault.

Chinese drones

The German weekly The mirror reported last night that a Chinese company was in talks with the Kremlin to supply drones to the Russians. We do not know what sources the German weekly is based on, but according to Der Spiegel it is a manufacturer who would like to deliver a hundred drones that can carry bombs of 35 to 50 kilos. According to the weekly, these are comparable to the Iranian drones that Russia already uses.

The United States suggested last week that China might supply arms to Russia. Beijing denies this and says it will remain “neutral” in the dispute.