Explained: China's Ukraine peace plan that Beijing is trying to revive

China has renewed its call for broader international approval of its peace proposal to end the war in Ukraine, a move that has sparked fresh discussions about Beijing's role in the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II.

The appeal comes after a round of diplomatic efforts by the Asian giant to gain support from some key Global South nations, including Indonesia, Brazil, and South Africa.

What makes these three "vital forces" in the peace process is that they have been maintaining communication with all parties involved, said Li Hui, China's special envoy for Eurasian affairs.

Beijing's renewed push may show its ongoing efforts to position itself as a mediator in the Ukraine conflict despite its decision to skip a recent peace summit in Switzerland. However, this effort may not be enough to resolve the protracted war.

China’s push for peace came amid a new escalation in the war, which has now crossed 900 days. On August 6, Ukrainian forces launched an attack deep in Russia’s Kursk region — the most significant foreign attack on Russian soil since World War II.

The surprise assault left Russia vulnerable, with the strike occurring just 30 km (18 miles) from a nuclear plant. In response, Russian forces retaliated with drones, cruise missiles, and hypersonic ballistic missiles across much of Ukraine.

China's proposal

After a year of silence and ignoring the issue, China unveiled its peace plan for the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2023, coinciding with the war's first anniversary.

The plan outlined a 12-point framework for achieving a political settlement to the conflict, calling for a ceasefire, respect for territorial integrity, and the resumption of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

It also advocated for lifting Western sanctions against Russia, establishing humanitarian corridors for civilian evacuation, and ensuring the uninterrupted export of grain, an issue of particular concern for China given its reliance on grain imports from Ukraine.

According to the proposal, China called for an end to what Beijing terms the "Cold War mentality," a reference to US hegemony and its interference in other countries' affairs.

While the plan also emphasises the need to safeguard nuclear power plants and oppose the threat or use of nuclear weapons, it has been widely criticised for lacking specific measures to address key points of contention, such as the critical territorial disputes between Kiev and Moscow and the ineffective non-binding language.

Initially, Ukraine expressed cautious interest in China's involvement in the conflict, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledging the importance of engaging with Beijing.

"China started talking about Ukraine, and that's not bad," Zelenskyy said once, implying a possible collaboration with China to end the war.

However, Ukrainian officials have also emphasised that any peace plan must involve withdrawing Russian troops from Ukraine's 1991 borders, a condition not mentioned in the Chinese plan.

Western nations have also largely reacted with scepticism to China's proposal, questioning Beijing's neutrality in the conflict.

Both NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen viewed China's proposal as lacking concrete steps toward peace and should be viewed cautiously.

"China has taken sides by signing an unlimited friendship agreement with Russia right before the invasion," von der Leyen said.

Climate of distrust

China's decision to skip the Ukraine summit in Switzerland this June drew further criticism. The two-day summit, attended by 100 states and international organisations, sought to rally support for Zelenskyy's peace plan, including the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.

While China declined invitations to participate, Russia was not invited at all.

China's absence, coupled with its lobbying against the summit, was viewed by some diplomats as a "subtle boycott" to undermine the event. Zelenskyy alleged that China had pressured other countries not to attend the peace summit.

But Beijing justified its decision by pointing to Russia's exclusion from the summit and the event's focus on Zelenskyy's peace plan over other initiatives, including its own proposal.

After all, China's involvement in brokering peace now seems to be driven by regional concerns and its desire to assert itself as an active global player and a viable alternative to the US.

China continued to promote its peace plan, particularly among Global South countries. In a joint statement with Brazil earlier this year, Beijing called for a peace conference involving Ukraine and Russia.

Some anticipate that China may organise its own peace conference on Ukraine, potentially prioritising Putin's participation over Zelenskyy's. Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi hinted at this possibility during a recent BRICS summit in Russia, where he called for a "real" peace conference that would include all relevant parties.

As the conflict drags on, Beijing's peace proposal may serve as a litmus test for its ability to navigate the complex geopolitics of the war and assert itself as a responsible global power.