China's special envoy for Ukraine initiates diplomatic shuttle diplomacy

On Wednesday, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Beijing's special envoy for Ukraine, Li Hui, will embark on a tour starting on Saturday, which includes visits to Russia, Ukraine, and the European Union headquarters in Brussels.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning revealed that Li Hui will visit Poland, France, and Germany to discuss the Ukraine conflict, which has entered its third year.

Mao Ning emphasized that this visit falls within the "second round of shuttle diplomacy aimed at seeking a political settlement to the Ukrainian crisis."

Li Hui previously visited Europe in May for discussions.

China has faced criticism from Western countries for its stance on the Ukraine issue.

Despite calling for the respect of the territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine, Beijing has not publicly condemned the Russian attack nor called for Moscow to withdraw its forces from Kyiv's territories.

Mao Ning stated on Wednesday that since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, "we have never spared any effort to promote peace and encourage talks."

During a regular press conference, the spokesperson added: "Everything we have done has one goal, which is to reach an agreement to end the war and pave the way for peace talks."

China and Russia share a common desire to counter what they perceive as American dominance.

Beijing and Moscow have witnessed political and economic convergence over the past two years.

This week, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, during a visit to Russia, stated that relations between the two countries are "at their best historical level."