Receiving Minister Qin Gang, French Foreign Minister Colonna Affirmed the Importance of China's Role for Global Peace and Stability

JAKARTA - France considers China to have an important role for global peace and stability, in line with Beijing's efforts to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

This was conveyed by French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, while receiving a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Wednesday.

"We know the important role China plays on the world stage and the important role it can play for global peace and stability," Foreign Minister Colonna told Foreign Minister Qin at the start of their meeting, reported The Straitstimes May 11.

"China must work to convince Russia to return to respecting the United Nations Charter," he added, ahead of a scheduled dinner at the French Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Minister Colonna previously told a cabinet meeting that Beijing should urge Russia to "return to peace".

"It is important for China to use its relationship with Russia to make Russia better understand they are in an impasse, and to tell Russia to come back to its senses," he said.

This request came after French President Emmanuel Macron visited China in April.

Foreign Minister Colonna continued, any talks between Beijing and Moscow must foster "a new attitude to return to peace, instead of continuing the war for no reason that Russia chooses," as quoted The National News.

He said President Macron had conveyed the same message to President Xi at a meeting last month.

France also asked China not to "send weapons to Russia" as this would "question the attitude we have" towards Beijing, Foreign Minister Colonna said.

China has sought to portray itself as neutral in Russia's war against Ukraine, with President Xi Jinping in April making his first phone call with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky since the invasion of Moscow in 2022.

Meanwhile, the 12-point proposal proposed by Beijing to end the conflict in Ukraine, was met with skepticism by the United States and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

Separately, Foreign Minister Colonna told Foreign Minister Qin he also wanted to discuss North Korea's "apprehensive attitude", referring to the recent series of missile launches.

He asked Foreign Minister Qin to reflect on how to "respond with unity and continue to work, to achieve stability on the peninsula and the region".