Chinese President Xi Jinping has landed in Moscow for a three-day official visit to Russia, including an informal lunch with his host, Vladimir Putin.
According to Russian state media, Xi Jinping was received on a red carpet by a military band playing the national anthems of both countries and by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.
The Chinese president arrived in Moscow and stressed that his first state visit to Russia since the start of the conflict in Ukraine would give “new impetus” to bilateral relations.
“I am confident that the visit will be fruitful and give new impetus to the healthy and stable development of Sino-Russian relations,” the president said on the runway at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport, referring to the two countries as “good neighbours”. and “reliable partners”.
Xi described the bilateral ties as entering “a new era”, echoing comments made by Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov last week, who said Xi and Vladimir Putin would sign documents to establish closer ties during the visit.
“In a world of volatility and transformation, China will continue to work with Russia to protect the international system with the UN at its core,” Xi added, according to Russian news agencies.
Just before the disembarkation of the President of China in Moscow, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin also emphasized the strength of their bilateral alliance.
“I look forward to working with President Putin to jointly adopt a new vision for relations,” Xi wrote in an article published in the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper and also published by China’s state news agency Xinhua.
“It’s a journey of friendship, cooperation and peace”added the Chinese president.
For his part, in an article published by a Chinese newspaper on Monday, Putin praises “China’s willingness to play a constructive role in resolving” the conflict, saying that “Russia-China relations have reached their highest point.” have reached”.
According to Russian presidency spokesman Dmitry Peskov, after the “personal” meeting between the two leaders, who strengthened relations and shared criticism of Western countries, Tuesday will be the “day of negotiations” in which Putin and Xi will hold a joint press conference.
Putin will also explain to Xi Jinping “in detail” Moscow’s position on the conflict, so that the Chinese president can “get first-hand the view that the Russian side has of the current moment.”
The two leaders last met last September, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan. Xi then expressed “questions and concerns” to Putin about the war in Ukraine, the Russian president said.
China has claimed neutrality in the conflict, but a month before the invasion, Xi and Putin proclaimed “boundless friendship” at the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
However, after participating in the recent diplomatic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, China now wants to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, calling for dialogue between the two countries.
Beijing refused to criticize the invasion of Ukraine, but condemned the imposition of sanctions on Moscow and accused the West of provoking the conflict and “fanning the fire” by supplying Ukraine with weapons for its defense.
The Asian country sees the partnership with Moscow as fundamental to oppose the liberal democratic order, led by the United States.
Relations between Beijing and Washington have also deteriorated rapidly in recent years due to a trade and technology war, disputes over human rights, the status of Hong Kong and Taiwan or the sovereignty of the South China Sea.
In a 12-point peace proposal released last month, Beijing stressed the importance of “respecting the sovereignty of all countries,” referring to Ukraine, and called for an end to the “Cold War mentality,” in an implicit critique of the expansion of NATO.
Beijing’s position has been criticized by Western countries, who believe that the country is providing diplomatic cover for the Russian war and that its proposals lack practical solutions.
10 years ago, on March 21, 2013, the Chinese president, who had just been elected to his first term, chose Russia for his first official visit.
Now, at the start of an unprecedented third term in office, he will land in Moscow to meet Putin – whom he describes as an “old friend” – shortly after marking the first year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Beijing and Moscow have moved closer in recent years with an “unrestricted” alliance, which has served as a diplomatic barrier to Western powers.
China has criticized what it sees as a US-led campaign against Russia over the war in Ukraine and has called for “impartial” mediation in the conflict. And the Kremlin accused the US government of fomenting the conflict in Ukraine.
The United States, on the other hand, is concerned about the possibility of Xi repeating China’s proposal for a ceasefire during his meeting with Putin, a hypothesis that Washington says would only serve for Russia to test the progress it has made on the battlefield. to consolidate.
John Kirby, a White House spokesman, said on Friday that the war must end “fairly”, with respect for Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty, and suggested that Xi also speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss his view on the situation. conflict and not just from Putin.
China’s “peace plan” does not foresee a withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory, nor does it describe Russia as an invader.
A month ago, the United States accused China of preparing to send weapons to Russia.
On Thursday, a journalistic investigation by the American newspaper Politico, based on trade and customs documents, showed that Chinese companies supply weapons and other military equipment to Russian organizations.
“Objective and impartial point of view”
Xi Jinping’s visit comes just days after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Putin for illegally deporting Ukrainian minors, an act considered a war crime.
When questioned about this, China’s diplomacy spokesman Wang Wenbin said the court should “take an objective and impartial position and respect the immunity from jurisdiction of heads of state based on international law”. politicization and double standards”.
Following the announcement of the ICC, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the current Vice Chairman of the National Security Council, stated that the court could be the target of a Russian missile.
“One could imagine a very accurate attack with a Russian Oniks hypersonic missile from a Russian ship in the North Sea against the courthouse in The Hague,” Dmitry Medvedev wrote on the Telegram platform.
The Chinese president’s trip will strengthen Putin, who has been isolated on the international scene after visiting the Ukrainian city of Mariupol on Sunday, his first trip to Ukrainian territory since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.
Xi may be planning his first phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since the start of the conflict, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Source: DN
