Russia and China have further strengthened their “strategic alliance,” according to a statement released by Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, following their meeting this Thursday in Beijing. The joint declaration also charges against the “hostile movements” of the United States of America.
The “cooperation” between Moscow and Beijing thus enters “a new era,” on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of relations, the pretext for this new visit by Putin, which will last two days.
The text, with references to defense, space, Ukraine and Taiwan, shows its “deep concern” about what it considers Washington’s efforts to “subvert the strategic security balance in the region.”
Likewise, both leaders have expressed their agreement on international politics, particularly in favor of a “two-state solution” for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Putin has also valued Chinese proposals in favor of a political solution to the war in Ukraine. Although, before taking the plane in Moscow, on his first trip abroad since his re-election, he warned that all interests had to be taken into account, “including those of Russia.” On the battlefield, furthermore, the wind has been blowing in his favor for months.
Xi and Putin, in their joint appearance, highlighted how “extremely urgent” to find a solution to the current humanitarian cataclysm in Palestine, which would involve “implementing UN resolutions.”
Xi undoubtedly conveyed to Putin the impressions of his recent visit to Europe – the first in five years – in which he met with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Layen, with Ukraine in the menu.
This two-day trip to China by Vladimir Putin comes seven months after his participation in the New Silk Roads forum, also in Beijing. The heads of government of Hungary and Serbia, Viktor Orbán and Aleksandar Vucic, attended, to whom Xi returned the visit a week ago. If it had extended its Central European program, the obvious candidate was Robert Fico, the social democratic prime minister of Slovakia, shot yesterday, who maintains good relations with China and not only with Russia. In contrast to his conservative predecessors in Bratislava, who during his tenure were the most belligerent with Beijing in the entire EU, mainly over their management of Hong Kong.
Xi Jinping, who has been bothered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the beginning – his country has not fired a shot in 45 years – has once again called for “respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.” Combined, of course, with “respect for the reasonable security concerns of all parties”, in a nod to Putin.
“China hopes for the soon restoration of peace and stability on the European continent and will continue to play a constructive role to this end,” declared the President of China.
In February of last year, when the invasion of Ukraine turned one year old, Xi and Putin proclaimed in Beijing a “limitless friendship” between their nations. Since then, economic exchanges between both powers have increased by 25%. 65% since the start of the war. To make matters worse, as a result of US sanctions, between 80% and 90% of transactions between both giants are carried out in yuan or rubles, instead of dollars.
However, Beijing is beginning to view with apprehension pressure from Washington to cut exports that could contribute to the Russian war effort. That was the main message that the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, brought to China last month, who did not receive anything close to the red carpet with which Putin was feted this morning.
The pretext for the visit of the president of Russia is the 75th anniversary of the establishment of relations between Beijing and Moscow. The U.S.S.R. It was the first state to recognize Mao’s People’s Republic of China, in October 1949. Under the inspiration of Henry Kissinger, in the seventies, the United States knew how to exploit the rivalry between both powers within the socialist bloc. But Donald Trump’s tariff policy, first, and Joe Biden’s sanctions policy, later, have achieved the opposite effect. The embrace between the two Eurasian powers has never been so close.
However, although the rhetoric and staging may suggest otherwise, Beijing’s aversion to military alliances – in contrast to Washington, London or Moscow – remains. This does not prevent the strengthening of ties at a bilateral level or through forums such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization or the BRICS, where Brazil, India or South Africa and, since this year, Iran or Saudi Arabia also sit.
As a culmination, Vladimir Putin will attend a bilateral forum this Friday in Harbin, a Chinese city close to the very extensive Russian border and which has hosted, since 1907, the largest Orthodox cathedral in the Far East. From there he should return to Moscow, although Russian journalistic sources do not rule out a surprise visit to Vietnam, long announced but never materialized.
