Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday arrived in Moscow for a three-day visit that shows off Beijing’s new swagger in world diplomatic affairs and offers a welcome political lift for Russian President Vladimir Putin just days after an international arrest warrant was issued for him on war crimes charges related to the war in Ukraine.
China and Russia have described Xi’s trip as an opportunity to further deepen their “no-limits friendship.” China looks to Russia as a source of oil and gas for its energy-hungry economy, and as a partner in standing up to what both see as US domination of global affairs. The two countries also have held joint military drills.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that over dinner yesterday, Putin and Xi would touch on issues related to Ukraine, adding that the Russian president would likely offer a “detailed explanation” of Moscow’s view on the current situation.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Broader talks involving officials from both countries on a range of subjects are scheduled for today, Peskov added.
For Putin, Xi’s presence at the Kremlin is a prestige visit and a diplomatic triumph, allowing him to tell Western leaders allied with Ukraine that their efforts to isolate him have fallen short.
In an article published in China’s People’s Daily newspaper, Putin described Xi’s visit as a “landmark event” that “reaffirms the special nature of the Russia-China partnership.”
Putin also specifically mentioned that the meeting sent a message to Washington that the two countries are not prepared to accept attempts to weaken them.
“The US policy of simultaneously deterring Russia and China, as well as all those who do not bend to the American diktat, is getting ever fiercer and more aggressive,” Putin wrote.
Xi’s trip came after the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Friday announced it wants to put Putin on trial for the abductions of thousands of children from Ukraine.
China portrays Xi’s visit as part of normal diplomatic exchanges and has offered little detail about what the trip aims to accomplish, although the nearly 13 months of war in Ukraine cast a long shadow on the talks.
At a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin (汪文斌) said Xi’s trip was a “journey of friendship, cooperation and peace.”
On the war, Wang said: “China will uphold its objective and fair position on the Ukrainian crisis and play a constructive role in promoting peace talks.”
Beijing’s leap into Ukraine issues follows its recent success in brokering talks between Iran and its chief Middle Eastern rival, Saudi Arabia, which agreed to restore their diplomatic ties after years of tensions.
Flushed with that success, Xi called for China to play a bigger role in managing global affairs.
“President Xi will have an in-depth exchange of views with President Putin on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of common concern,” Wang said.
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