On the evening of February 19, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi was invited to attend the China session of the 58th Munich Security Conference by video in Beijing and delivered a keynote speech.
Wang Yi answered the host's question on China's position on NATO's eastward expansion, European security and the situation in Ukraine.
Wang Yi said that the Cold War has long since ended. As a product of the Cold War, NATO should assess the situation and make necessary adjustments.
If NATO blindly expands to the east, will it be conducive to maintaining peace and stability in Europe, and will it be conducive to achieving long-term stability in Europe?
This is a question worthy of serious consideration by European friends.
Wang Yi stressed that the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected and maintained, because these are the basic norms of international relations, which embody the purposes of the UN Charter and the principled position that China has always upheld, and Ukraine is no exception.
If anyone questioned China's attitude on this issue, it would be a hype with ulterior motives and a distortion of China's position.
Wang Yi said that as a permanent member of the Security Council, China has always decided its own position and handled international affairs according to the merits of the matter itself.
China believes that on the Ukraine issue, it is time to return to the origin of the new Minsk agreement as soon as possible.
Because this agreement is a binding agreement reached by the parties through negotiation and approved by the UN Security Council, it is the only way to solve the Ukraine issue.
As far as I know, both Russia and the EU support the new Minsk agreement. When I had a phone call with US Secretary of State Blinken not long ago, the US also expressed support.
That being the case, why can't the parties sit together for a full discussion and work out a roadmap and timetable for the implementation of the agreement.
What all parties need to do now is to earnestly take responsibility and work for peace, instead of blindly raising tensions, creating panic, and even exaggerating war.
As for the prospect of resolving the Ukrainian issue, Wang Yi said that Ukraine should become a bridge for communication between the East and the West, rather than the frontier of confrontation between major powers.
Regarding European security, all parties can raise their own concerns, among which Russia's reasonable security concerns should be respected and taken seriously.
China expects all parties to find a solution that is truly conducive to safeguarding European security through dialogue and consultation.