By Oyintari Ben
Wang Yi, the top diplomat for China, met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday in Moscow.
Wang said in remarks shown on Russian state television that “the relations between China and Russia are not intended against any third nations and most definitely cannot be susceptible to pressure from any third country.”
He also underlined Beijing’s desire to take a negotiating role in the conflict in Ukraine.
Wang was quoted by the Russian news agency TASS as saying that “the Chinese side will, as in the past, firmly adhere to an objective and impartial attitude and play a helpful role in the political settlement of the crisis.”
However, Putin stated that “cooperation between China and Russia on the international scene is vital to calm the situation.”
Russia and China announced a “no limits” alliance weeks before Moscow invaded Ukraine. Later, Beijing resisted denouncing the invasion.
He continued by saying he was anticipating Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival in Moscow.
Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, and Nikolai Patrushev, the country’s security head, had already met with Wang.
On Tuesday, the top diplomat from China arrived in the Russian capital. His trip to Moscow came soon after US President Joe Biden’s surprise Monday visit to Ukraine to show Washington’s support for Kyiv.
Wang said during his conversations with Patrushev that China continues to support Russia and that relations between the two countries are “strong as a rock” and would “stand the test of the unpredictable international scenario.”
According to Patrushev, the West is attempting to dissuade China and Russia from maintaining their hegemony over the world.
Wang later stated that China “has been and remains determined, together with Russia, to take measures to preserve the positive trend in the development of relations between major powers” during his meeting with Lavrov.
Lavrov added that despite the high instability in the international arena, “our ties are developing dynamically” and that “we demonstrate solidarity and readiness to defend our interests based on international respect and the fundamental role of the UN.”
Recent US allegations that Beijing was considering arming its ally Moscow were refuted by Beijing. China has been cautioned by the US, the EU, and NATO not to supply Russia with weaponry for its conflict in Ukraine.
Wang’s visit to Moscow coincides with the countries that support Ukraine’s desire to further isolate Russia diplomatically at the UN.
