Chinese Special Representative for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui is scheduled to visit Ukraine to discuss a political settlement of the war unleashed by Russia. This is the first high-ranking Chinese official to visit Ukraine since the start of full-scale Russian aggression. This was announced today, on May 17, on the air of the FREEDOM TV channel by a candidate of political sciences, a leading specialist of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine. G. Udovenko Stanislav Zhelikhovsky.
“The purpose of the Chinese special representative is to probe the ground for further action. So far, there are unlikely to be any quick fixes, as this is not China’s style. But, nevertheless, it can be said with confidence that developments are expected in the Celestial Empire, including in the context of the counter-offensive operation of Ukraine, ”he said.
Zhelikhovsky noted that the very fact of the visit of the Chinese envoy was well received in the United States. For example, Deputy Speaker of the US Department of State Vedant Patel said that China should hear directly from the Ukrainian authorities its position on the end of the war, so it is important that a Chinese representative visit Ukraine. The State Department also noted the importance of adhering to the principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” in any diplomatic efforts.
“I want to agree that the visit of this special representative is very important, but we must remember that Beijing is trying to take a neutral position, and that it never condemns and often calls [the war] a crisis. There are also questions to the representative Li Hui himself, who was the Chinese ambassador to the Russian Federation for 10 years, and he also received various awards and orders from Vladimir Putin. Here the question arises – how sincere this special envoy, who has rather warm relations with Russia, its leadership, will be able to build at least … or raise China’s relations with Ukraine and other countries that he will visit to a new level. Therefore, how the vision of the Celestial War in Ukraine will continue is also very interesting, ”the expert concluded.