German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz has urged Chinese President, Xi Jinping, to wade into the war in Ukraine by pressing on Russia to end the aggression, even as both men warn against the threat to use atomic weapons in Ukraine.
In the first visit on Friday, 4 November 2022, by a G7 leader to China since the pandemic, Scholz urged Xi to press Russia into ending the war, which is already in its eight month – saying Beijing had a responsibility as a major power to use its influence do so.
Although Xi has not condemned President Vladimir Putin’s invasion, he agreed that nuclear threats were incendiary.
“President Xi and I agree that nuclear threats are irresponsible and highly dangerous. By using nuclear weapons, Russia would cross a line which the world community drew together.”
Ukraine’s Western allies have accused Russia of threatening to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Moscow denies doing so and has repeatedly accused Kyiv of planning to use a radioactive “dirty bomb” without offering evidence.
Scholz’s controversial one day trip has stirred criticism from the West.
It comes just weeks after Xi tightened his grip on power and secured a third five year term at China’s Communist Party Congress.
And at a time of mounting concern about China’s trade practices, its human rights record and territorial ambitions.
The visit is likely a welcome development for the Chinese leadership, who will be looking to shore up relations with the outside world.
Scholz’s trip is further being closely watched for clues on how serious Germany is about reducing its economic reliance on China.
While greeting the German chancellor, Xi urged the two countries to work more closely on international issues.
Although later on during a news conference, Scholz said he raised the issue of Taiwan with Xi…
and told China that any change in Taiwan’s status quo must be peaceful.
China claims the island as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under its control.
Reuters