China says it’s seeking role in Ukraine peace settlement

BEIJING (AP) — The foreign minister of China, which has provided strong political backing for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, says his country wants to play a role in ending the conflict. On Tuesday at a security conference in Beijing, Qin Gang said China was concerned that the almost yearlong war could escalate further and spin “out of control.” He said China would continue to urge peace talks and provide “Chinese wisdom” to bring about a political settlement. China has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion or atrocities against Ukrainian civilians and has criticized Western economic sanctions against Moscow. China and Russia have aligned their foreign policies to oppose the U.S. and, weeks before the Ukraine invasion, their leaders declared a partnership with “no limits.”