China to start second round of shuttle diplomacy on Ukraine crisis

China will continue to play its role, carry out shuttle diplomacy, pool consensus, and pave the way for peace talks and contribute China’s wisdom for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, Chinese Foreign Ministry said after announcing the start of the second round of shuttle diplomacy on the Ukraine crisis.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced during a press briefing on Wednesday that starting from March 2, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs Li Hui will visit Russia, the EU headquarters, Poland, Ukraine, Germany and France for the second round of shuttle diplomacy on seeking a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

According to Mao, it has been two years since the full escalation of the Ukraine crisis began and the conflict drags on. The most urgent priority now is to restore peace. The sooner peace talks begin, the less the damage that is done.

In the past two years, China has never given up on promoting peace or slackened its efforts to facilitate talks, and China has had in-depth exchanges with countries, including Russia and Ukraine, playing a constructive role in addressing the crisis, Mao said.

China also published its position paper on the political settlement of the crisis, and its special envoy traveled intensively to mediate among different parties. China has not sat idly by or added fuel to the flame, still less profiteered from the conflict, Mao added.

Behind all this, there is only one goal that China hopes to achieve, that is, to build consensus for ending the conflict and pave the way for peace talks, Mao stressed, noting that China will continue to play its role, carry out shuttle diplomacy, pool consensus, and contribute China’s wisdom for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.