War in Ukraine: can China play the role of mediator?

This is a small sentence pronounced Friday, March 18 by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his meeting with US President Joe Biden : “The Ukrainian crisis is not something we want to see.“ The chinese canconvince the Russians to stop their offensive in Ukraine? Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have often staged their closeness. Voting at the UN, place of NATO, conception of democracy: many subjects bring them together, but the war in Ukraine could change the situation.

“If the military adventure continues, it is possible that Beijing will at some point ask Russia to negotiate, perhaps also to restore peace in Europe”, says Jean-François Huchet, president of the National Institute of Oriental Languages ​​and Civilizations (Inalco). Because Beijing’s number one concern is the economy. In this field, China leads by far, being the second largest economy in the world, against 11th place for Russia. She has become a cumbersome partner. Ambiguity can ultimately serve China’s interests. By not clearly condemning the Russian attack, it retains the possibility of playing a role of mediator.