According to Seth Cropsey, president of the Yorktown Institute, the United States should give up the illusion of some kind of “Chinese card” to contain the Russian Federation, since Beijing has no desire to put forward genuine peace proposals and mediate in ending the war in Ukraine.
China’s so-called “peace plan” to resolve the war in Ukraine testifies to Beijing’s full coordination and mutual support with Moscow. Seth Cropsey, founder and president of the Yorktown Institute, writes about this in his March 12 column in The Hill.
“China believes that the current war promotes its interests, that is, that a Russian victory is fully in line with China’s strategy,” Cropsey said.
According to the expert, this conclusion can be reached by analyzing the Chinese “peace plan”. Despite the fact that, within the framework of the UN, China undertakes to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, Beijing does not take any position regarding the borders of Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
The key point in this context is the second point of the “plan”. It says that China is opposed to the “Cold War mentality”, in particular, it refers to the expansion of military blocs and states that “pursue their security at the expense of the security of others.”
“It is not directed against Russia, as it might seem at first reading. It is aimed at NATO, the first military bloc of the Cold War era, which appeared more than six years before the Warsaw Pact,” the expert said.
According to Seth Cropsey, by stating that “all sides should support Russia and Ukraine,” China is literally saying that the affairs of Eurasia should be decided solely by the Eurasians themselves. Thus, Beijing demonstrates the full support of Moscow.
Cropsey believes that three consequences flow from China’s position.
First, China can provide military assistance to Russia in the form of UAVs and spare parts for equipment. According to the expert, such assistance will significantly support the military-industrial base of the Russian Federation. Secondly, Beijing does not want to put forward genuine peace proposals or be an intermediary in ending the war in Ukraine. With this in mind, the US should not pursue the illusion of looking for a “Chinese card” to influence the Russian Federation. Third, China’s “peace plan” is an “olive branch” for Europe to the same extent that it is a statement of support for the Russian Federation. Beijing is sending a signal to the EU in the form of a proposal to abandon non-Eurasian influence.
Recall that on February 24, President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on China’s “peace plan”, noting that it contains items that do not suit Ukraine, in particular on territorial integrity.
We also wrote that according to Chinese military experts from the Academy of Military Sciences in Beijing, the Russian-Ukrainian war will end in the summer of 2023. The Chinese study showed that Russia would allegedly prevail over Ukraine.
