China’s President, Xi Jinping, is set to embark on a state visit to Russia, where he will meet with Russian President, Vladimir Putin. This meeting is projected to strengthen the already strong ties between the two nations, despite widespread western condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The three-day visit will see discussions on “bilateral relations and important international and regional issues of mutual concern.” However, focal points of the talks are yet to be confirmed.
China has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the Ukraine conflict, an aspiration that has been met with skepticism from the US and Europe. Xi and Putin previously declared a “no limits” partnership, which established a close relationship prior to the eruption of hostilities. Throughout the past year, Xi has maintained consistent contact with Putin, while Chinese state media has supported Russian propaganda on the war.
Despite the growing interest in its mediation efforts, China has yet to discuss the conflict with Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, there are rumors that Xi may conduct a video conference with the Ukrainian President in the coming days. Beijing has recently increased its ministerial-level contact with Ukraine, with China’s Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, speaking to his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, to call for peace talks.
It is unclear whether this visit will involve any discussion regarding China’s mediation in the conflict. However, given China’s growing interest in peacemaking, it anticipates that the discussions in Moscow will lead to a resolution of the Ukraine conflict.
The Kremlin has stated that Putin and Xi are expected to discuss “issues of developing relations of all-encompassing partnership and strategic interaction between Russia and China.’’ This pact is a signal of the fast-growing relationship between the two countries, and this meeting will affirm their strong and stable ties.
Signing a number of important bilateral documents will be the icing on the cake of this state visit. Despite not providing information on the documents, it solidifies the strategic partnership between the two countries.
While Beijing sees itself as a potential peacemaker in the conflict, the West considers China to be aligned with Moscow. However, recent tensions between China and the West may provide a diplomatic opportunity for China to shift this perspective.
In recent news, China mediated a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran last week to restore diplomatic ties. Experts, however, believe China may find the Ukraine conflict resolution more challenging due to its perceived alignment with Russia.
Should Xi conduct a video conference with Zelenskyy, the visit to Moscow could be sold to the public as a peacebroker’s negotiations strategy. Some are skeptical that Xi may not be able to convince the world of its neutrality.
In conclusion, the meeting between Xi and Putin will reaffirm the stable relationship between China and Russia. Although it is yet to be confirmed whether the Ukraine conflict will be discussed during the visit, it is clear that the two leaders will communicate on matters of mutual concern. As the countries continue to strengthen their alliance, it is likely that the best interest of both would be prioritized at the forefront of any discussions.#Jinping #visit #Vladimir #Putin #Russia #week
0 Comments