Chinese Vignettes—China, India should be partners, not rivals, says Chinese FM

Much is happening in China, domestically as well as internationally. While China tries to settle its own differences with neighbour India, Western lawmakers have called on China to play mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as it entered its third week.
 
China over the week
 
India and China have had a history of highs and lows. The bilateral relations reached rock bottom, when in 2020 the armies of both sides engaged in a violent clash in the Galwan Valley. Following the deadly clash, both sides gradually enhanced their manpower by deploying more soldiers as well as heavy armaments.
 
On Monday, addressing his press conference on the sidelines of their annual meeting of parliament, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi acknowledged that the two countries had ‘suffered some setbacks’ and called for managing the border differences through consultation as the ‘situation does not serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples.’
 
The minister added that ‘some forces’ have always tried to stir up conflict between the neighbours. However, the two countries, which account for one-third of humanity, can control their destiny and achieve their goals ‘only by staying independent.’
 
On Friday, India and China met for the 15th round of high-level military talks to "move forward", narrow their differences and find a reasonable solution to the stalled issues. A joint statement released by the two countries stated that they carried forward their discussions from the previous round held on January 12. While the atmosphere was positive, the meeting, which lasted for 13 hours, failed to achieve any immediate breakthrough. But hope to resolve the issues at the earliest. 
 
That's not it for China. The country has found itself embroiled in the ongoing war in the West. 
 
China chooses to maintain a diplomatic distance from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, the stance to 'not step in' does not sit well with the European lawmakers who have identified Beijing as a potential peacemaker in the conflict, given the close ties between President Xi and President Putin.
 
 "We [Europeans] cannot be the mediators, that is clear … and it cannot be the US either. Who else? It has to be China, I trust in that," said the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell, after his phone call with Wang Yi.
 
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also said that he had been assured that "China is interested in stopping this war, Chinese diplomacy has sufficient tools to make a difference, and we count that it is already involved." 
 
President Xi during his call with French President Macron and German Chancellor Scholz made it clear that Beijing has been critical of Western sanctions against Russia. According to reports, China is considering purchasing or increasing stakes in Russian energy and other companies, such as Gazprom, to secure its imports, despite its pledge to maintain normal trade relations with Russia. While its ties with Russia remain ‘rock solid,’ it urges ‘maximum restraint’ to avoid a large-scale humanitarian disaster. 
 
China in world reportage
 
Tensions are once again running high between China and the US, with the former accusing the latter of going to ‘great lengths’ to engage in constant competition between the two countries. According to the South China Morning Post, US President Joe Biden urged Congress to send to his desk a legislation intended to strengthen its competitiveness against China.
 
Beijing, also added, that Washington’s repeated interference in China’s internal matters will only undermine the relations between the two countries, and consequently, such immature moves will only lead to the disruption of international peace and stability.  
 
Additionally, China has also blamed the United States for instigating the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Beijing reiterated that Washington had failed to consider Moscow’s ‘legitimate’ security concerns of NATO’s continuous eastward expansion.

At his press conference on Monday, Chinese FM Wang Yi accused an unspecified ‘major power’ of still having a ‘Cold War mentality’ and seeking to maintain its position as a hegemon. And made it clear that China opposes any form of bullying by major powers,and is committed to pushing international governance to achieve greater equality.

(The author is an Assistant Researcher at WION TV)