Sánchez appeals to Xi as a "stabilizing power" for Putin to end the war in Ukraine

Pedro Sánchez believes that if anyone can put pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, that someone is none other than Xi Jinping.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
15 November 2022 Tuesday 10:30
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Sánchez appeals to Xi as a "stabilizing power" for Putin to end the war in Ukraine

Pedro Sánchez believes that if anyone can put pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, that someone is none other than Xi Jinping. For this reason, in the bilateral meeting that the Spanish president held this Tuesday with the President of the People's Republic of China, on the sidelines of the G-20 summit being held in Bali (Indonesia), Sánchez appealed to Xi "to to use its influence as a stabilizing power so that Putin ends the war”, as reported by Moncloa.

However, Xi Jinping has stressed that his country is not an actor in the war and that although he has a good relationship with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, his ability to influence him should not be overestimated.

The meeting between Sánchez and Xi has lasted for 40 minutes, and both have addressed issues of the global geostrategic field and also of bilateral relations. With the war unleashed by the Russian leader in Ukraine as a top priority. The Spanish president has agreed with his Chinese counterpart, according to the statement issued by Moncloa, on "the need to cooperate to find multilateral solutions to the crises derived from it, especially energy and food." Sánchez reminded him that Spain, along with the vast majority of countries, has condemned Russia's aggression against Ukraine from the outset, "a threat to world peace and stability that subverts the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that China has always has defended”. For this reason, the Spanish president has asked China to use her influence to persuade Russia to end the war.

Official Spanish sources explained that Xi recognized the good relationship he has with Putin and the fact that they are neighboring countries, but at the same time and in response to the requests for mediation that Sanchez and half a dozen other leaders have conveyed to him at this summit, he has indicated that its role cannot be overestimated.

In the Moncloa they have expressed their maximum satisfaction for the development of this new meeting between Sánchez and Xi, which in their opinion also reinforces the international profile of the Spanish president. "Spain, with its participation in the G-20, confirms its active role in the main forum of world economic governance, with its own, proactive and progressive agenda", government sources have indicated.

Sánchez has also taken the opportunity to convey to Xi his will that during the Spanish presidency of the European Union, in the second half of next year, a boost be given to the relations of the 27 member states of the community club with China, which can open "opportunities" for both parties, especially in commercial and investment matters.

In the bilateral sphere, and after the state visit that the Chinese president made to Spain in 2018, both have also highlighted the importance of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, "which they see as an opportunity to deepen " in the same.

In this sense, Xi has underlined his desire to deepen the comprehensive strategic association between China and Spain, agreed during that state visit. The two leaders thus highlighted the existing opportunities to further intensify and diversify trade and investment relations. In this sense, Sánchez has insisted on the need for "reciprocity in treatment" for Spanish companies in China.

For his part, Xi told Sánchez that China welcomes more Spanish companies and products into its market, and that he expected fair, transparent and non-discriminatory treatment for his companies in Spain, Chinese state television CCTV reported.

China is the second supplier and the eighth client of Spain. Bilateral trade in goods between Spain and China has grown substantially over the last decade, reaching 43.5 billion euros in 2021. On this subject, Sánchez highlighted the interest of Spain and its companies in continuing to increase and diversify trade and investment, as well as facilitating the entry of Spanish companies into China. At the same time, he has underlined the importance of the recent contract signed by China in the field of the European aeronautical industry.