By Lucy Adautin
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed their commitment to strengthen their strategic alliance in Beijing on Thursday, underscoring their increasing alignment amidst Russia’s military advancements in Ukraine.
Putin, accompanied by top defense and security officials, received a grand reception from Xi at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, marking the commencement of his two-day state visit.
Xi lauded the deepening ties between the two nations, formalized through a joint statement signed by the leaders during a ceremony on Thursday afternoon, emphasizing that it would “provide robust impetus” to the development of their relationship.
Putin’s visit, symbolizing his first international engagement since commencing a new presidential term in Russia last week, serves as the latest indication of the strengthening bonds between the two nations, as they fortify their ties amidst escalating tensions with Western powers.
In meetings with Putin, Xi proclaimed that China-Russian relations have “stood the test of a changing international landscape” and made “positive contributions to maintaining global strategic stability,” according to a readout from China’s Foreign Ministry.
Putin, whose economy has become increasingly reliant on China since his February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, hailed the countries’ “practical cooperation” in meetings with Xi, noting their record bilateral trade last year, while and stressing the importance of energy, industrial, and agriculture cooperation, according to Russian state media Tass.
Putin and Xi’s meeting in Beijing marks their fourth face-to-face interaction since Russia initiated its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, amid escalating international apprehension regarding the trajectory of the conflict. This concern is compounded by delays in aid delivery to Ukraine and Russia’s apparent resilience in the face of Western sanctions, both economically and within its defense sector.
Later on Thursday evening, Putin and Xi are expected to engage in informal discussions regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine. These talks are anticipated to include Russia’s newly appointed Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, as well as his predecessor Sergei Shoigu, who now serves as the secretary of Russia’s Security Council.
Putin’s grand reception in Beijing comes on the heels of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s announcement, relayed through his office, of halting all forthcoming international visits. This decision follows a surprise Russian offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region of Ukraine, where Ukrainian troops are engaged in defensive operations.
“We think it is important to strive towards a reliable and adequate architecture of security in Asian-Pacific region in which there will be no place for closed military-political alliances. We think the creation of such alliances to be counterproductive and harmful,” Putin said in comments to media following meetings.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Kyiv earlier this week to reaffirm the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine after months of Congressional delay in approving American military aid to the embattled country. Blinken pledged $2 billion in foreign military financing and said much-needed ammunition and weapons are being rushed to the front lines.
Xi welcomes Putin under pressure from both the US and Europe to ensure soaring exports from China to Russia since the start of the war aren’t propping up the Kremlin’s war effort.
White House officials in recent weeks have confronted Beijing on what they believe is substantial support in the form of goods like machine tools, drone and turbojet engines and microelectronics from China for Russia’s defense industrial base. Beijing has slammed the US as making “groundless accusations” over “normal trade and economic exchanges” between China and Russia.
