Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to Russia begins today, Monday 20 March. Trip that will last until Wednesday 22. Ma Xi will already meet Russian President Vladimir Putin today: space for China-Russia relations but also for the Ukrainian crisis.
China
Russian-Chinese relations have gone through difficult times throughout their history, but have ultimately proved to be strong, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said in an interview with Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya gazeta reported by the TASS news agency. “China and Russia have found the right path for interaction between states,” he said, emphasizing: “This is essential for the relationship to stand the test of changing international circumstances, a lesson confirmed by both history and reality.” .
“China has always maintained an objective and impartial position. There is no simple solution to a complex problem,” Xi Jinping said a few hours after his visit to Moscow. “We are convinced that a rational way out of the Ukrainian crisis and a path to lasting peace and universal security in the world will be found if all are guided by the concept of common, integrated, joint and sustainable security, continuing dialogue and consultations fairly, prudently and pragmatically”, the position of the Chinese president. “Since last year, there has been an overall escalation of the Ukrainian crisis. China has always maintained an objective and impartial position based on the merits of the matter and actively promoted peace talks. I have made several proposals: namely, observe the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, respect the legitimate security concerns of all countries, support all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the crisis, and ensure the stability of global industry and supply chains. China’s fundamentals in tackling the Ukrainian crisis,” Xi said.
“Not long ago, we disclosed China’s position on the political solution to the Ukraine crisis, which takes into account the legitimate concerns of all parties and reflects the broader common understanding of the international community on the crisis,” Xi Jinping said. “There is no simple solution to a complex problem. We believe that as long as all parties embrace the vision of a common, comprehensive, collaborative and sustainable security and pursue a balanced, rational and results-oriented dialogue and consultation, they will find a reasonable way to resolve the crisis and a broad path to a world of lasting peace and common security”.
Putin
“Russia welcomes China’s willingness to help resolve the crisis in Ukraine,” Putin said as he prepared to welcome Xi Jinping. “Russia – he told the People’s Daily – is grateful to China for a balanced line on the situation in Ukraine, for understanding the background and the real reasons”.
“Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow is a milestone, confirming the special nature of relations between our two countries,” Putin said. “Relations between Russia and China are today the cornerstone of global stability and a model of harmonious cooperation,” he stresses. “The Power of Siberia gas pipeline between Russia and China – added Putin – has become the ‘deal of the century’ due to its size”.
During his interview, the Russian president explained that “NATO is trying to expand its activities globally and penetrate the Asia-Pacific region”. NATO, says Putin, “wants to divide Eurasia to contain the Russian Federation and China, but this will not happen”.
For Putin, who visited Mariupol yesterday, “the geopolitical system is now undergoing cardinal changes: the architecture of security and international cooperation is being dismantled”. The US policy of double containment of Russia and China, he adds, “is becoming more resolute.”
“Russia is open to a political and diplomatic settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. However, in April 2022, peace talks were not stopped by us. The future of the peace process depends solely on readiness for a serious conversation, taking into account of current geopolitical realities,” says the Kremlin leader.