Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to make his first visit to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin. The meeting will take place in Moscow and is expected to strengthen the already close relationship between the two countries. Xi Jinping’s visit is seen as a significant move to deepen economic and political ties between China and Russia.
The two leaders are expected to discuss various issues, including regional security, economic cooperation, and joint efforts to counter the influence of the United States. This abstract highlights the significance of the upcoming meeting and its potential implications for the relationship between the two countries.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin in his first visit to Russia since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago. The visit will take place from Monday to Wednesday and will be seen as a show of Beijing’s support for Moscow amid growing concern about their deepening partnership as war rages in Europe. During the meeting, the two leaders will discuss the war in Ukraine and the further development of comprehensive partnership relations and strategic cooperation between Russia and China. China is trying to present itself as a neutral peace broker on Ukraine, but Western leaders remain skeptical. The US officials will be watching closely for signs that China is moving forward with providing weapons to Russia during the summit.
China’s Role as Mediator:
China’s Foreign Ministry has announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia from Monday to Wednesday at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the Kremlin, the two leaders will discuss the further development of comprehensive partnership relations and strategic cooperation between Russia and China, as well as exchange views on deepening Russian-Chinese cooperation in the international arena. In addition, they will sign a number of important bilateral documents attesting to closer ties between the two nations, and discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. China’s position on the matter is to urge peace and promote talks.
China is attempting to position itself as an impartial mediator for the Ukraine crisis, releasing a statement advocating for a political resolution. The Chinese Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, about the importance of territorial integrity and the need for peace talks. However, Western leaders are skeptical of China’s neutrality, citing its close relationship with Russia and lack of acknowledgement of the conflict’s nature. China has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion, blamed NATO for provocation, and strengthened diplomatic, economic, and military ties with Russia. There are concerns that China may provide Russia with lethal military assistance, which Beijing denies.