China ‘seeking role in Ukraine peace settlement’

Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang gestures to delegations as he arrives at the Lanting Forum on the Global Security Initiative: China’s Proposal for Solving Security Challenges held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Beijing (Andy Wong/AP)

The foreign minister of China, which has provided strong political backing for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, said his country wants to play a role in ending the conflict.

Qin Gang told participants at a security conference in Beijing that China is concerned the almost year-long war could escalate further and spin “out of control”.