China will dispatch a special envoy to Ukraine, Russia, and other European nations on Monday, Beijing announced on Friday. The envoy will be the highest-ranking Chinese diplomat to visit the war-torn nation since Moscow’s invasion last year.
“Beginning on May 15, Ambassador Li Hui, the Chinese government’s special representative for Eurasian affairs, will travel to Ukraine, Poland, France, Germany, and Russia to discuss the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis with all parties,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference.
Wang stated that Li’s tour demonstrated China’s “commitment to promoting peace and dialogue.”
“It clearly demonstrates that China is on the side of peace,”
“China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in building more international consensus on the ceasefire, the cessation of war, the opening of peace talks, and the avoidance of escalation of the situation.”
Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Then, Beijing declared that Li, China’s ambassador to Russia from 2009 to 2019, would head a delegation to Ukraine.
The selection of Li as special envoy, however, has aroused eyebrows.
Just prior to his departure from Moscow as ambassador, President Vladimir Putin presented him with the Order of Friendship.
