The Chinese delegation, headed by Chinese Special Representative Li Hui, tried to convince European leaders of the need to maintain neutrality on the issue of Russia's war against Ukraine, an immediate ceasefire and consent to the transfer of territories already occupied by Russia. This is reported by sources of the Wall Street Journal in the leadership of the EU countries.
In addition, Li Hui suggested that Europe consider China as an alternative center of power to the United States. According to the interlocutors of the WSJ, the authorities of European states are not going to completely reject China's peacekeeping efforts, but they believe that peace will not be possible until Russian troops remain on the territory of Ukraine.
According to one of the European diplomats, the Chinese delegation was given the answer that "freezing the conflict is not in the interests of the international community." The People's Republic of China was also assured of the "impossibility" of separating the position of the EU from the American one, and that Europe would not stop supporting Ukraine. “Perhaps they are testing the unity of the West,” the WSJ source says.
On May 26, Li Hui arrived in Moscow for negotiations. Here he will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and discuss with him the Chinese plan to end the Russian-Ukrainian war. Before that, he visited Ukraine, Poland, France, Germany and Belgium.
On May 24, Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and assured him of support for Russia's "key interests". At the same time, in April, Chinese Ambassador to the EU Fu Cong called "rhetorical" the statement about "boundless friendship" between Moscow and Beijing, made by Xi Jinping after his meeting with Putin. At the same time, he stressed that China does not support the war in Ukraine and does not recognize Crimea and other Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia as belonging to the Russian Federation.
After the start of the war unleashed by Russia in Ukraine, China became the main trading partner of the Russian Federation. He also continues to buy Russian oil.