German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has urged China’s leader Xi Jinping to use his country's influence to press Russia to end its war in Ukraine.
Following meetings with Xi on Tuesday in Beijing, Scholz said on the social media platform X that “China’s word carries weight in Russia,” and that “I have therefore asked President Xi to influence Russia so that Putin finally … ends this terrible war.”
He added that Xi agreed to support a peace conference in Switzerland.
The statements come at the tail end of Scholz’s three-day visit to China, in which he discussed a wide range of issues with Xi and other leaders.
Scholz on Tuesday warned against threatening nuclear weapons during the war, after Russian President Vladimir Putin last month said he is ready to use them if the country’s sovereignty or independence is threatened.
He also told Xi that Moscow’s invasion threatens global security and that the two countries could work together to achieve a “just peace for Ukraine.”
Commenting on the crisis, Xi said, “China encourages and supports all efforts that are conducive to the peaceful resolution of the crisis,” according to Chinese state media.
Xi added that China and Germany are the second and third largest economies in the world and that Beijing and Berlin “should view and develop bilateral relations from a long-term and strategic perspective and work together to inject more stability and certainty into the world.”
This statement follows growing international criticism of Beijing over its continued diplomatic and economic ties with Moscow amid its invasion of Ukraine, which has helped Russia stay afloat during expansive Western sanctions.
China claims it is a neutral party in the conflict, and despite accusations from the United States, has asserted that it has not and will not provide military aid to Russia to support its invasion.
In addition to the Ukraine war, Scholz’s trip has been overshadowed by other international conflicts and events.
Germany’s chancellor arrived on Sunday after Iran’s first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory. Nearly all of more than 300 missiles and drones were intercepted by Israel and its allies. Scholz has followed other Western leaders in warning Iran not to strike again and Israel not to retaliate.
On Monday, Scholz discussed the importance of fair competition between Europe and China, while urging Beijing to not dump or overproduce in the European market. For eight consecutive years as of 2023, China has been Germany’s largest trade partner.
The trip also comes as the humanitarian crisis worsens in the Gaza Strip, more than six months into the Israel-Hamas war.
In a press conference Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that “China and Germany are concerned about the serious humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the danger of further escalation of regional tensions.”
Lin added that both Beijing and Berlin call for “unhindered and sustainable access to humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip.”
Some information in this report came from Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
