Ukraine should change China’s status from a strategic partner to an economic expert
Ukraine needs to review the status of relations with China, taking into account the real state of bilateral cooperation, Ukraine’s national interests, the PRC’s position on the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the vision and approaches of Ukraine’s partner states from the European Union and NATO to relations with the PRC.
This opinion was expressed by Yury Poita, head of the Asia-Pacific region section of the Army, Conversion and Disarmament Research Center, at a briefing at the Ukraine – Ukrinform Media Center.
According to the expert, given the current realities, it is more expedient to grant China the status of an economic rather than a strategic partner with appropriate restrictions for cooperation with this country.
According to Poyta, when forming one’s vision of the nature of relations with China, it is necessary to take into account the strategic course of our country towards Euro-Atlantic integration, based on which Ukraine needs to adopt the approach of its partners to relations with Beijing.
Separately, the expert pointed to the problem of Ukraine’s practical participation as a subject in China’s expert and political discourse. In short, our state is perceived there as a territory historically controlled by Russia, which is now temporarily under the influence of the United States.
Beijing, according to Poyta, initiates a direct dialogue with Kyiv while the Ukrainian side is constantly seeking contact with the top leadership of China. “If President Zelensky through the mass media appeals to the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping with a call for direct dialogue, that means diplomatic channels are not working, and it is not Ukraine’s fault,” said the expert, recalling Zelensky’s interview with a Chinese publication some time ago. South China Morning Post.
China, according to Poyta, does not want to spoil relations with Russia, to the use of pro-Russian neutrality and does not support anti-Russian sanctions, so Ukraine should form its vision of China, which corresponds to the current geopolitical situation and its long-term interests. thus, in his opinion, it is necessary to limit interaction with China in the cybernetic sphere and telecommunications, stop military-technical cooperation, introduce restrictions and checks for Chinese investments in Ukraine, etc.
“Relations with China will be weakened, put on pause somewhere, but this is a normal practice when one country reviews its relations with another. This is necessary for the long-term interests of Ukraine,” the expert noted.
As reported, Ukraine and China are developing strategic partnership relations in accordance with bilateral agreements signed in 2011 and 2013. Since 2019, China has been Ukraine’s largest trading partner.