Chinese foreign minister claims China is 'force for peace,' praises Russia-China relations.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised the strengthening of relations between Beijing and Russia, and claimed that China is a "force for peace" and stability during a press conference on March 7. Beijing has maintained close ties with Moscow during the war, increasing economic cooperation and disrupting Western attempts at isolating Russia. Ukraine is keeping diplomatic channels with Beijing open, while European officials have urged Beijing to use its influence over Moscow to help end the war.

Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, Wang said that Russia and China's "mutual political trust continues to deepen" and noted that bilateral trade reached a record £240 billion in 2023. "The China-Russia relationship moves ahead," Wang said, as quoted by the Guardian. Wang claimed that China has an "objective and impartial position" on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to the South China Morning Post.

Wang also called for peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. "The earlier the talks start, the sooner peace will come," Wang claimed. Ukraine invited China in January to participate in the upcoming Global Peace Summit, aimed at building support for the Ukrainian peace formula. Switzerland has agreed to host the talks, though no date or venue has been set.

China previously participated in international talks supporting Ukraine's peace plan in August 2023 in Saudi Arabia. Beijing has not yet committed to joining the next summit in Switzerland. Wang also alleged the U.S. had imposed an "unfathomable" level of sanctions against China.

In light of the strengthened economic and political ties between Russia and China since 2022, dozens of Chinese companies that supply the Russian military have been sanctioned by the U.S. In February, three of China's four largest banks stopped accepting payments from sanctioned Russian financial institutions in fear of the secondary impacts of U.S. sanctions due to interaction with Russian banks and companies.

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After pivoting away from Europe, Moscow found enthusiastic buyers in Beijing...