MOSCOW: Chinese President Xi Jinping said during his Moscow trip on Tuesday that China would prioritize ties with Russia, referring to the two countries as “great neighbouring powers” as he prepared for a second day of talks with Vladimir Putin, which are expected to concentrate on Ukraine.
In addition, the Chinese president said he invited Putin to visit China later this year as both leaders seek an alliance to counter Western power. Since Russia’s Ukraine campaign, trade ties between Beijing and Moscow have grown stronger, raising concerns about how far the ties will go in Western capitals. Xi said the government of China would “continue to prioritize the all-round strategic partnership between China and Russia.”
Xi’s visit coincides with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s surprise visit to Kyiv on Tuesday, where he is expected to meet Putin’s adversary Volodymyr Zelensky. Xi’s visit to Moscow is seen as a major boost for Putin, who faces Western sanctions and an International Criminal Court warrant for “illegally” deporting Ukrainian children.
Xi, Putin meeting in Moscow
Xi and Putin met for four and a half hours on Monday, referring to each other as “dear friends.” After the talks, Putin escorted Xi to his car, and the two were seen smiling together. During the meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated his willingness to hold talks on Ukraine and praised Beijing’s 12-point position paper on the dispute, which includes respect for all countries’ territorial sovereignty and a call for dialogue. Putin and Xi are also expected to discuss expanding economic cooperation as Russia increases energy exports to China after being largely excluded from European markets.
Ahead of the talks, Russian gas giant Gazprom announced that supplies to China through the Power of Siberia pipeline had reached a daily high on Monday. Xi’s three-day visit began the day after Putin visited Mariupol, his first trip to territory captured from Kyiv since the assault began in February 2022.
