# In Beijing, Spanish PM urges Xi to speak with Ukraine’s Zelenskiy
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2023-03-31
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Spanish PM Urges Chinese President Xi to Support Kyiv's
Meta Description: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez encourages Chinese President Xi Jinping to engage with Ukrainian President Zelenskiy to support a durable peace plan for
URL: https://financedigest.com/in-beijing-spanish-pm-urges-xi-to-speak-with-ukraines-zelenskiyhtml

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By Eduardo Baptista

BEIJING (Reuters) -Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez encouraged Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday to talk to the Ukrainian leadership and learn first-hand about Kyiv’s peace formula to help bring an end to Russia’s invasion.

Sanchez told a news conference in Beijing he had informed Xi, who visited Moscow on March 20-21, that Spain supported the proposals made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. These include a demand to restore Ukraine’s territory to the [status quo](https://www.financedigest.com/pelosi-praises-taiwan-says-asian-trip-wasnt-to-change-status-quo.html "Pelosi praises Taiwan, says Asian trip wasn’t to change status quo") before Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.

I believe it’s a plan that lays the foundations for a durable [peace in Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/putin-says-peace-talks-with-ukraine-are-at-dead-end-goads-the-west.html "Putin says peace talks with Ukraine are at dead end, goads the West") and is perfectly aligned with the United Nations charter and its principles, which have been violated by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin with his invasion,” he said.

I transmitted our concern over the illegal invasion of [Ukraine,” Sanchez](https://www.financedigest.com/natos-support-for-ukraine-is-unbreakable-spains-pm-sanchez-says.html "NATO’s support for Ukraine is unbreakable, Spain’s PM Sanchez says") said, adding that he encouraged Xi to talk to President Zelenskiy in order to get to know first-hand Kyiv’s peace plan.

Last month, Beijing put forward its own 12-point position paper on a political solution to the [war in Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-grants-citizenship-to-top-russian-journalist-who-denounced-war.html "Ukraine grants citizenship to top Russian journalist who denounced war"), which included a comprehensive ceasefire in the conflict.

However, the paper also raised eyebrows among some EU officials in [China for not stating that the aggressor in the conflict was Russia](https://www.financedigest.com/russia-sharply-scales-back-far-east-war-games-with-china.html "Russia sharply scales back Far East war games with China").

Sanchez on Thursday praised two aspects of [China’s position paper – “its complete and categorical rejection](https://www.financedigest.com/ftse-100-rebounds-on-china-optimism-thg-surges-after-rejecting-buyout-bid.html "FTSE 100 rebounds on China optimism; THG surges after rejecting buyout bid") of not only the use but even the threat to use nuclear weapons” and its respect for territorial integrity.

Sanchez declined to [say what Xi had said about the issue](https://www.financedigest.com/apple-says-issues-with-imessage-facetime-resolved35792.html "Apple says issues with iMessage, FaceTime resolved").

Russia has said Ukraine must accept its loss of Crimea and four other regions in the [south and east](https://www.financedigest.com/pimp-my-ride-south-east-drivers-most-likely-to-modify-their-cars.html "Pimp my ride! South East drivers most likely to modify their cars") of the country.

According to a readout of the meeting from Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Xi called for an [end to a “Cold War mentality” and to the pressure](https://www.financedigest.com/pressure-ulcer-diagnostics-market-will-likely-rise-to-us-1-49-bn-by-the-end-of-2031.html "Pressure Ulcer Diagnostics Market will Likely Rise to US$ 1.49 Bn by the End of 2031") of “extreme” sanctions, though he did not name Russia.

We hope that all parties concerned will build a balanced, effective and sustainable European [security architecture through dialogue and consultation,”](https://www.financedigest.com/fime-boosts-payment-strategy-security-consulting-key-hires.html "FIME boosts payment strategy on security and consulting with key hires") CCTV quoted Xi as saying.

Spain, a NATO member whose [foreign and security policy](https://www.financedigest.com/ancs-failed-foreign-policy-hurting-south-africa.html "ANC’s failed foreign policy hurting South Africa") is closely aligned with that of the United States, is a staunch ally of Ukraine. In July it assumes the rotating presidency of the [European Union’s](https://www.financedigest.com/explainer-why-malaysia-is-considering-a-ban-on-palm-oil-exports-to-the-european-union.html "Explainer-Why Malaysia is considering a ban on palm oil exports to the European Union") Council, which groups the bloc’s 27 national governments.

‘COMPLEX’ RELATIONSHIP

Sanchez said he agreed with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s view that relations between the EU and China were “complex” and he stressed the need for reciprocity and a [level playing field](https://www.financedigest.com/using-agility-to-resist-economic-instability-and-level-the-playing-field.html "Using agility to resist economic instability and level the playing field") between them.

The absence of any official engagement between Xi and Zelensky since the war broke out has worried EU leaders, not least because it contrasts with signs of close personal ties between Xi and Putin, such as when both leaders greeted one another as “dear friend” in their most [recent meeting](https://www.financedigest.com/the-recent-bank-of-england-meeting-the-biggest-rate-hike-recession-warning-and-the-fallout.html "The recent Bank of England meeting, the biggest rate hike, recession warning and the fallout").

Von der Leyen, who in a speech on Thursday said China was becoming “more repressive at home and more assertive abroad”, is scheduled to visit Beijing herself next week alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.

Sanchez [urged China](https://www.financedigest.com/who-urges-china-to-share-specific-data-regularly-on-covid-situation.html "WHO urges China to share specific data regularly on COVID situation") to seek a more balanced economic relationship with the EU and greater transparency.

On bilateral commerce, Sanchez announced agreements that would allow for the [export of Spanish almonds and persimmons to China](https://www.financedigest.com/dutch-responds-to-us-china-policy-with-a-plan-to-curb-semiconductor-tech-exports.html "Dutch responds to US China policy with a plan to curb semiconductor tech exports").

In 2022, Spain’s imports from China amounted to 49.6 [billion euros](https://www.financedigest.com/europes-spend-on-energy-crisis-nears-800-billion-euros.html "Europe’s spend on energy crisis nears 800 billion euros") ($53.9 billion), while exports to China reached about 8 billion euros, Spanish economy ministry data showed.

According to CCTV, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Beijing wanted to expand trade and investment with Spain, strengthen industrial docking and increase cooperation on new energy and [advanced materials](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-morgan-advanced-materials-reports-cyber-security-incident-on-its-network.html "UK’s Morgan Advanced Materials reports cyber security incident on its network") as well as on Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Spain, one of the world’s most visited countries, also hopes to attract more [Chinese tourists after the lifting of COVID](https://www.financedigest.com/were-going-to-be-free-chinese-cheer-as-covid-curbs-are-loosened.html "‘We’re going to be free’: Chinese cheer as COVID curbs are loosened") restrictions there.

Madrid aims to “facilitate the issuing of visas” to Chinese visitors, Sanchez said, adding that [Spain would host a bilateral tourism forum in the summer](https://www.financedigest.com/mallorca-emerges-as-this-years-summer-hotspot-as-british-buyers-return-to-spain-in-their-masses.html "MALLORCA EMERGES AS THIS YEAR’S SUMMER HOTSPOT AS BRITISH BUYERS RETURN TO SPAIN IN THEIR MASSES").

($1 = 0.9201 euros)

(Reporting by Eduardo Baptista and Laurie Chen in Beijing, writing and additional reporting by David Latona in Madrid, editing by Andrei Khalip, Gareth Jones, William Maclean)


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