- Putin’s remarks highlight the swing from the West to China
- Both men share mistrust of West
- Xi’s dovish statements contrast with Putin’s optimistic tone
- No mention of the visit in Chinese media reports of video meetings
- No sign of Xi’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
DEC 30 (Portal) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he expects Chinese President Xi Jinping to pay a state visit early next year in what would be a public show of solidarity from Beijing as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine begins device.
But an official Chinese reading of a video summit between the two leaders highlighted differences in the approach to their evolving alliance, made no mention of a visit and stressed that Beijing, which has refused to support or condemn the invasion, is sticking to its “goal and.” Fair” will record “stance on the subject.
Since Russia deployed troops to Ukraine in February, it has turned its back on the Western powers that have ostracized it economically and politically and armed Ukraine, in favor of courting the rising world power of long-time rival China.
“We are expecting you, dear Mr. Chairman, dear friend, we are expecting you for a state visit to Moscow next spring,” Putin Xi said in an exuberant eight-minute introductory statement aired on state television.
“This will demonstrate to the whole world the strength of Russian-Chinese relations on key issues.”
He also said he intends to increase military cooperation with China – although this was not mentioned in Chinese state broadcaster CCTV’s report on the call.
Though Xi called Putin his “dear friend,” his opening statement, which was about a quarter the length of Putin’s, was far more pragmatic in tone.
The two men had signed a borderless strategic partnership marked by shared distrust of the West in February, just days before Russia deployed its forces to Ukraine in what it described as a “military special operation”.
TRADE IS FLOATING
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, February 4, 2022. Sputnik/Aleksey Druzhinin/Kremlin via Portal/File Photo ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.
As major Western economies responded to the invasion with an unprecedented, coordinated barrage of sanctions, Russia has been forced to seek other markets, overtaking Saudi Arabia as China’s top supplier of crude oil. Bilateral trade has greatly increased and financial ties have expanded.
On Friday, Russia’s Treasury Ministry doubled the maximum possible Chinese yuan stake in its National Wealth Fund (NWF) to 60% as Moscow seeks to “de-dollarize” its economy and reliance on “unfriendly” nations, including the United States, Europe , quit union members, Britain and Japan.
Moscow has also publicly backed Xi’s position on Taiwan, accusing the West of trying to provoke a conflict over the status of the self-governing island that China claims as its own.
Putin told Xi, “You and I share the same views on the causes, course and logic of the ongoing transformation of the global geopolitical landscape in the face of unprecedented pressure and provocations from the West.”
However, the Chinese leader has been less vocal in his criticism of Western countries, which are China’s top export market, and have been cool about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
China has eschewed condemnation, instead emphasizing the need for peace, but Putin publicly admitted in September that his Chinese counterpart had “concerns” about Russia’s actions.
Beijing has been careful not to provide direct material support to the invasion, which could provoke Western sanctions against China.
However, Xi told Putin on Friday that China stands ready to step up strategic cooperation with Russia amid what he called a “difficult” situation in the world at large.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the meeting was substantive and constructive, but no date had yet been set for Xi’s visit.
Portal reporting; Additional reporting by Eduardo Baptista in Shanghai; writing by Kevin Liffey; Edited by Andrew Heavens and Tomasz Janowski
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