At the invitation of Saudi Arabia, China's Special Representative on Eurasian Affairs Li Hui attended a two-day meeting in Jeddah on the Ukraine conflict. The attendance of the Chinese representative, alongside security advisors and representatives from 43 countries, gave way to collective deliberations to consolidate an international consensus on Ukraine, and to mobilize global support for joint peace imperatives. "All parties positively commented on Li Hui's attendance and fully backed China's positive role in facilitating peace talks," said China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a written statement to Reuters.

China's attendance at the meeting, reflecting its staunch support for a negotiated peace in Ukraine, underscored its responsible and committed role in conflict resolution. Beijing is keen to consider other countries' perspectives and motivations for peace. It is prepared to work with the international community to devise shared principles to inform a possible peace summit later in the year. 

The agreements made in Jeddah, backing "further Ukraine peace talks," align with Beijing's roadmap for a political settlement of the issue. At the same time, the desire to factor in different positions on a matter of shared global concern reinforces Beijing's point: that the path to enduring peace in Ukraine runs through constructive dialogue. "It is important that our principles are shared," said Li ahead of the meeting, according to Reuters.

One of the key impediments to a political breakthrough on the issue is the selective focus on the principal parties' sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. China's relationships with Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Russia, and the West strengthen its case for bridging the trust deficit between Moscow and Kyiv, given its support for the "equal and uniform application of international law" in the lead-up to a solution. The attendance of the Chinese representative at the two-day meeting testifies to Beijing's positive traction with diverse parties across regions, where mutual trust is a top priority.

China's approach to the meeting was informed by a series of successful diplomatic engagements in major European capitals in May. These discussions allowed China to coordinate peace imperatives and future dialogue prospects with Russia and Ukraine. The resulting effort serves as a template for the international community to approve enhanced communication between Russia and Ukraine without letting Cold War mentalities or third-party interference keep a settlement out of reach.

The Saudi-hosted meeting is a welcome step towards reviving productive consultations, a process valued by Ukraine, Russia, China and other regional players. Unlike nations that impose unwarranted sanctions or supply arms to the battlefield, China stands firmly opposed to any escalation of the conflict. It understands the value of prioritizing the "legitimate security interests and concerns of all countries" through its own 12-point peace plan.

Considering the potential impact of energy market disruptions and NATO's possible eastward expansion, the consequences of a prolonged Ukraine conflict are daunting. China's comprehensive Ukraine peace plan takes stock of such global concerns and leaves Beijing uniquely positioned to deepen the Global South's stakes in substantive peace talks. At the Jeddah closed-door meeting, significant representation from the developing world made it possible to align various proposals for enduring peace with key elements of China's 12-point Ukraine peace plan. That includes supporting Russia and Ukraine in "working in the same direction," exercising restraint and "resuming direct dialogue as quickly as possible."

As a result, the Chinese delegation's constructive participation in the Saudi-hosted meeting underscores China's credibility in conflict resolution and its relevance to facilitating peace between Russia and Ukraine. Beijing's healthy diplomatic ties with all parties, and a stated desire to reconcile disagreements through shared principles, are all central to the pursuit of meaningful peace in Ukraine.

Hannan R. Hussain is a foreign affairs commentator, author and recipient of the Fulbright Award. 

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

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