The Presidents of China and Russia Promised to 'Deepen Strategic Relations' After Meeting in Beijing

Xi Jinping, the President of China, and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin promised to deepen the strategic relations between their countries after a meeting in Beijing on Thursday. Putin, who is on a two-day official visit to China, described the Moscow-Beijing relationship as a 'factor of stability in the global arena' and claimed that this growing relationship is 'not against anyone.' He expressed gratitude for Beijing's position regarding the Ukraine war and what he called 'China's efforts to resolve the situation in Ukraine,' stating he would keep Xi informed of the latest developments. Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022 and continues, has led to global condemnation and extensive sanctions from Western countries against Moscow. However, China claims to be neutral in this dispute and has refrained from condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, although it has supported Moscow economically and politically. The Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that the Russian president stated China understands the roots of the crisis in Ukraine and has a 'sincere desire' to 'stabilize the situation.' William Pomerantz, director of the Kennan Institute at the Wilson Center, told Voice of America that Putin is trying to ensure China's support for Russia and find a way to circumvent U.S. sanctions. With China's economic power rising over the past two decades and its political influence increasing globally, its role in shaping relations with Russia has become more prominent than ever. Edward Lucas, a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, told Voice of America that Putin's number one issue is receiving assistance regarding Ukraine; he wants diplomatic help; he wants help to break sanctions. He wants weapons. According to Lucas, Xi Jinping's interests differ from those of his Russian counterpart; he does not want Russia to lose, but at the same time does not want Moscow to escalate nuclear tensions amid this turmoil. This is Putin's second visit to China in the past six months and his first foreign trip since winning the presidential election in March and remaining in the Kremlin for a fifth term. New U.S. sanctions against two individuals and three Russian companies due to military weapon transfers between Russia and North Korea were also noted.