Speaking at a rare press conference in Beijing, Wang Yi calls for peace talks to bring two-year-old Ukraine conflict to an end.

“In the face of complex turmoil in the international environment, China will persist in being a force for peace, a force for stability, and a force for progress in the world,” Wang told reporters at a press conference in Beijing on the sidelines of the country’s annual meeting of its parliament.

Wang, who spoke in Mandarin, was also asked about China’s relationship with Russia, which began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The two countries announced a “no limits” partnership shortly before the invasion, as Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing, and visiting Moscow last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed a “new era” of cooperation.

The foreign minister said Beijing and Moscow’s closer relationship was a “strategic choice”, noting that bilateral trade had reached a record $240bn in 2023.

“New opportunities” lay ahead, he added, portraying the two countries’ ties as a “new paradigm” in the relations between big powers.

“Major countries should not seek conflict and the Cold War should not be allowed to come back,” Wang said.

China has positioned itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine war, and on the first anniversary of the conflict, released a 12-point peace plan calling for a ceasefire and talks between the two parties.

On Thursday, Wang insisted that Beijing maintained an “objective and impartial position” on Ukraine and called again for peace talks, noting that peace envoy Li Hui was currently in the region.

“A conflict, when prolonged, tends to deteriorate and escalate and could lead to an even bigger crisis,” Wang said.