South Africa and China adhere to the same view that the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict should be through dialogue, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday.
"[Chinese] President Xi Jinping and I discussed the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and its significant effect on developing economies in Africa and elsewhere. We both agreed on the importance of dialogue and negotiation between the two sides," Ramaphosa said at a joint media briefing on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, taking place in Johannesburg from Tuesday to Thursday.
South Africa is encouraged by Xi's welcoming of the African leaders' peace mission to Russia and Ukraine, Ramaphosa added.
In February, China released a 12-point document titled "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis," which underscores respect for the sovereignty of all countries, the cessation of hostilities, and the resumption of peace talks between Moscow and Kiev.
In early August, the Financial Times reported, citing sources, that at the recent Saudi-hosted international Ukraine talks China made it clear it would continue to engage in any further international consultations on the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict.
South Africa was one of the seven African countries that pitched a peace plan initiative both to Russia and Ukraine. A top-level delegation visited Moscow and Kiev in June to discuss the 10-point plan based on security guarantees, freedom of Black Sea grain exports, release of prisoners and start of peace talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told them no peace talks would be possible until Russia withdraws its forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin said some of the points of the African initiative were aligned with Moscow's stance and the discussion should be continued.