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Vladimir Putin says ‘dear friend’ Xi will visit soon after China sticks to Ukraine stance

bynewsdesk
December 31, 2022

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key point
  • Mr Putin’s comments underscored the pivot from the West to China.
  • Xi gave no sign of backing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
  • The US said it was “concerned” about China’s alliance with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he was looking forward to a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping early next year, which would be a public outcry of Beijing’s solidarity with Russia’s thwarted invasion of Ukraine.

But China’s official reading of the two leaders’ video summit highlighted their differences over developing the alliance, made no mention of the visit, and stressed that Beijing, which refuses to support or condemn the invasion, will maintain its “objective and impartial” stance.

Since sending troops into Ukraine in February, Russia has turned its back on the Western powers that ostracized it economically and politically and armed Ukraine, and instead courted the rising global power of longtime rival China.
“We look forward to you, dear Sir, dear friend, we look forward to your state visit to Moscow next spring,” Mr Putin told Jinping in an impassioned eight-minute introductory statement broadcast on state television gentlemen.

“This will demonstrate to the world the strength of Russia-China relations on key issues.”

“Unlimited” partnerships

He also said his goal was to increase military cooperation with China — although China Central Television, the state broadcaster, did not mention that in its report on the call.

China Russia

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are seen on a screen during their meeting via video link in Beijing, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. resource: Associated Press / Associated Press

Although Jinping called Putin a “dear friend,” his introductory remarks were only about a quarter as long as Putin’s and were more business-like in tone.

The pair signed an “unrestricted” strategic partnership in February, days after Russia sent armed forces into Ukraine in what it called a “special military operation” amid a mutual distrust of the West.
After the call, the United States said it was “concerned” about China’s alliance with Russia and reiterated that it had warned Beijing that it would face consequences if it provided military aid to Russia in its war on Ukraine or helped it evade Western sanctions.
“We are closely monitoring activities in Beijing,” a State Department spokesman said.

“Beijing claims to be neutral, but its behavior shows that it is still investing in a close relationship with Russia.”

U.S. officials have been saying they have yet to see Beijing provide material support for Russia’s war effort, a move that could trigger sanctions on China.

Bilateral trade soars

Russia has been forced to seek other markets and has overtaken Saudi Arabia as China’s top crude supplier as major Western economies responded to the invasion with unprecedentedly coordinated sanctions.
Bilateral trade has soared and financial ties have expanded.

On Friday, Russia’s finance ministry doubled the largest possible share of the yuan in its National Wealth Fund (NWF) to 60 percent, as Moscow seeks to “de-dollarize” its economy and end sanctions against “currency exchanges” including the U.S. Dependence on “unfriendly” countries, EU membership, and the UK and Japan.

Moscow has also publicly backed Xi Jinping’s stance on Taiwan and accused the West of trying to provoke a conflict over the status of the self-governing island claimed by China.
Mr. Putin told Mr. Xi Jinping: “In the face of unprecedented pressure and provocations from the West, you and I agree on the reasons, process and logic of changes in the global geopolitical landscape.”

Mr Xi, however, has been less vocal in his criticism of the West, China’s main export market, and has been cool over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Instead of condemning, China emphasized the need for peace, but Putin publicly acknowledged in September that his Chinese counterparts were “worried” about Russia’s actions.
Xi did tell Putin on Friday, however, that China was ready to step up strategic cooperation with Russia against the backdrop of what he called a “difficult” global situation.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the meeting was substantive and constructive, but no date has been set for Xi’s visit.

Sources

1/ https://Google.com/

2/ https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/vladimir-putin-says-dear-friend-xi-jinping-to-visit-soon-as-china-holds-its-line-on-ukraine/dv9s63kyy

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