China-Europe cooperation to help resolve Ukraine conflict: Experts

The Russia-Ukraine conflict reflects a broader transformation of the international order, and China-Europe collaboration could play a constructive role in both resolving the crisis and reshaping post-conflict security frameworks, experts said.

The remarks were made at a symposium held on June 30 in Beijing for the release of a report titled Lasting Peace in Ukraine and the Rebuild of European Security Architecture compiled by Beijing Foreign Studies University's Center of the European Union and Regional Development Studies.

The report, written in English, discusses the Ukraine crisis from the perspective of: the changing role and influence of the US, the reconstruction of Ukrainian identity, the rebuilding of the European security order, and China's concerns as a stakeholder.

It points out that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has reached the three-and-a-half year mark, and the prospect of the Ukraine crisis remains uncertain.

Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, said the Russia-Ukraine conflict is indicative of a broader transformation in the international order.

With Donald Trump returning to the White House, the international order is undergoing another shift and the stalled political resolution of the Ukraine conflict is a direct consequence of this evolving world landscape, he pointed out.

Due to the US' impure motives during mediation, prioritizing its interests over peace, the negotiation strategy was neither fair nor reasonable, the report said.

Cui Hongjian, director of Beijing Foreign Studies University's Center for European Union and Regional Development Studies, said, "The protracted Russia-Ukraine conflict will have a continued negative impact on global security."

"If both China and Europe view each other as forces that can provide positive support for global stability, then they need to adjust their perceptions of each other and begin to consider what starting points will allow China and Europe to truly move toward dialogue, exchange, and communication in their actions and policies," he said.

Recognizing their shared responsibility for global security can be the starting point for China-EU collaboration on the Ukraine crisis, Cui emphasized.

The symposium was jointly organized by Beijing Foreign Studies University's Country and Area Studies Academy, the Center for European Union and Regional Development Studies and the China Think-tank Network on Europe.

The event was attended by leading Chinese scholars in European studies, as well as representatives from government bodies.

yangran1@chinadaily.com.cn