Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday. He is making his first visit to a major power since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
– President Xi Jinping sees me as his friend, and I see him as my friend too, Putin told the Chinese news channel CGTN ahead of the visit.
The occasion is a major conference on China’s trade and infrastructure project, “Belt and Road”, also known as “The New Silk Road”.
It is also expected that Russia and China will use the opportunity to discuss a ceasefire in the Middle East.
Unbalanced relationship
Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr is a senior researcher at Nupi. He says that the relationship between Russia and China is unbalanced.
Russia is an important force of resistance against the West and the United States in China’s eyes. At the same time, China is by far Russia’s most important trading partner.
Putin and Xi toast in front of a platter of caviar and glasses of champagne during a visit to Vladivostok in 2018.
Photo: SERGEI BOBYLYOV / AFP
– Russia has created a relationship of dependence on China in terms of goods and trade. At the same time, China is very keen to have a good and close, but limited and orderly relationship with Russia, and will not make itself dependent on Russian support.
It is still expected that the two heads of state will discuss the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
– Particular focus will be directed at international and regional challenges, writes the Russian presidential office Kremlin in a statement.
Chinese soldiers meet Vladimir Putin at the airport in Beijing, Tuesday.
Photo: POOL / Reuters
China’s mediating role in the Middle East
Both China and Russia have so far chosen not to condemn Hamas’s attacks.
– But China will be much less supportive of the proactive role Russia seems to want, says Gåsemyr.
Both parties differ from the United States in that they have taken a more neutral line.
– This is because China is and has been an important supporter of Palestine’s cause. They have supported a two-state solution, but will not get involved in internal Palestinian affairs. The statements from China reflect this. At the same time, China has had close, strategic and trade policy important relations with Israel, says the researcher.
Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr at Nupi says that China and Russia have a common interest in making Western dominance less obvious.
Photo: Christopher Olsson
Russia also has a good relationship with both Palestinian and Israeli parties. They are calling for an “immediate ceasefire”.
The US has asked China to help de-escalate the conflict. More than 1,400 people have been killed on the Israeli side, while close to 2,800 people have been killed on the Palestinian side. Israeli rocket attacks on Gaza continue.
China proved a successful peace broker earlier last year, when its envoy Zhai Jun negotiated an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Chinese diplomat Zhai Jun meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, 2019.
Photo: Majdi Mohammed / AP
According to the Chinese news channel CCTV, Zhai will try to establish a ceasefire and peace talks.
2023-10-17 21:19:26
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