Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in Beijing on Tuesday for a meeting with dictator Xi Jinping in a clear demonstration by both sides that their “no-limits partnership” remains intact after President Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing just a few days earlier.
Putin enjoyed a nearly identical reception to Trump’s as he disembarked from his plane, right down to the student cheerleading squad waving flags and chanting welcome messages, which helped to thematically position Putin’s visit as a response to Trump’s:
The similarity between the two receptions also helped China polish its image as the go-to destination for global leaders.
“Xi likely wants to remind Trump that Beijing has other solid and robust relationships that it can count on, so Washington can’t easily isolate or harm Beijing if it tries to,” International Crisis Group senior analyst William Yang told the UK Guardian.
“The Xi-Putin summit will telegraph to the world that the China-Russia strategic partnership remains the cornerstone of both countries’ foreign policies and that any attempt by the U.S. to drive a wedge between them is destined to fail,” Ian Storey of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore told the Detroit News in a similar vein.
Storey doubted that Xi would take the opportunity of Putin’s visit to persuade him to end the war in Ukraine, a hope expressed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday.
“It’s unrealistic to expect Xi to put pressure on Putin to end the war in Ukraine. Xi doesn’t wield that kind of influence over Putin and in any case the Chinese understand how a defeat for Russia in Ukraine would weaken Putin’s political standing,” he said.
“As such, Beijing will continue to provide Moscow with diplomatic cover at the U.N., economic assistance and dual-use technologies for Russia’s armed forces,” he predicted.
Putin paved the way for his visit with a video address to China, in which he said Russia-China relations have grown to an “unprecedented level” thanks to robust bilateral trade, conducted mostly with Russia and China’s respective currencies instead of the American dollar. A great deal of that commerce involves China buying Russian oil, without regard to U.S. or European sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022.
“I am convinced that our warm and friendly ties enable us to chart the boldest plans for the future and bring them to life,” Putin said of his relationship with Xi.
Russian and Chinese media played up Putin’s close relationship with Xi, seeking to dilute President Trump describing Xi as a personal “friend” several times during his own trip to Beijing. The Guardian noted that Putin has paid at least 25 visits to China during his long reign, and has met with Xi over 40 times.
In advance of Putin’s arrival Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun praised the relationship between China and Russia as an “important contribution to maintaining global strategic stability and upholding international fairness and justice.”
“The two sides will take this opportunity to continue deepening and elevating relations between China and Russia, so as to inject more stability and positive energy to the world,” Guo said of expectations for Putin’s visit.
Guo became a bit testy when a reporter asked if Xi and Putin would discuss President Trump’s visit to Beijing.
“The two presidents will exchange views on bilateral relations, cooperation in various fields and international and regional issues of mutual interest. More information will be released in a timely manner. Please stay tuned,” he responded.
The Kremlin said upon Putin’s arrival in Beijing that he and Xi would sign a joint commitment to build a new “multipolar world order.”
The Kremlin expected Putin and Xi to sign about 40 documents during Putin’s stay in Beijing, in addition to holding informal talks “over tea.”
Read the full article here