Interview: China supports diplomacy, de-escalation for Russia-Ukraine conflict -- expert

BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- China is calling for a de-escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine to minimize losses, Gao Zhikai, vice president of the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based non-governmental think tank, has said.

"China has been very consistent in its position. China is calling for the de-escalation of the conflict and bringing it to an end as soon as possible through negotiation, with the aim of minimizing civilian losses," Gao told Xinhua in an interview last week.

In early March, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said China has always supported and encouraged all diplomatic efforts that are conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis, and welcomes the launch of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine held their latest round of face-to-face talks in Turkey's Istanbul on Tuesday, which lasted for about three hours. According to local media, they finally clinched some progress in exploring possible ways out of the tensions.

"China's policy does not have any vested interest of China in the outcome of this conflict. China's position is purely for the sake of saving as many civilian lives in Ukraine as possible, and preventing the conflict from escalation into a greater disaster," Gao noted.

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has entered its second month, and Washington has been "fanning the flames" with weapon assistance, sanctions and threats.

In mid-March, the United States announced 800 million U.S. dollars in "security assistance" to Ukraine, in addition to the 200 million dollars it has already authorized. Gao said the influx of weapons into Ukraine will not help resolve the conflict, instead it could lead to the escalation of current tensions.

The U.S. government is also busy using sanctions -- an instrument it has been using for decades -- amid the conflict. Gao disapproved of the use of sanctions and threats, saying they are "not going to work."

"How can we really expect to live in a world where one country will threaten another country, and then the other country will need to kowtow to the threatening country? It will not work," he said.

"China wants to live in a world where each country will treat others as equal. And you deal with each other with dignity," he said.

Gao noted that the international order established after the Second World War "was not an international order to be dictated by any one country." The United States imposes its will on other countries and is the rule-breaker of international order, he said.

Gao stressed that it is time for diplomacy at the highest level to resolve the conflict.