Putin and Xi vow deeper ties and denounce the United States as Russia advances in Ukraine

Presidents Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia denounced what they saw as the United States’ increasingly belligerent actions on Thursday and promised to strengthen their nations’ already strong military and defense cooperation.

In a blatant jab at Washington, whose top diplomat traveled to China last month in an attempt to convince Beijing to reduce its ties with Moscow, Xi indicated Beijing and Moscow agreed on a number of critical issues, including Ukraine, and that they would withstand pressure from the West to reduce their ties.

“The China-Russia relationship today is hard-earned, and the two sides need to cherish and nurture it,” Xi said to Putin.

“China is willing to … jointly achieve the development and rejuvenation of our respective countries, and work together to uphold fairness and justice in the world.”

Concerns regarding the United States’ alleged attempts to upset the strategic nuclear balance, its plans for highly precise non-nuclear weapons, and its worldwide missile defense system, which put China and Russia in danger, were expressed in a joint statement.

During his first foreign visit since taking office last month, Putin characterized Beijing’s and Moscow’s cooperation in global issues as one of the primary stabilizing forces in the international arena.

“Together we are defending the principles of justice and a democratic world order reflecting multipolar realities and based on international law,” Putin stated to Xi.

Putin’s visit occurs a few weeks after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China on a plane, raising concerns about what Blinken claimed to be China’s military backing for Russia. A day earlier, Blinken declared that Washington will keep imposing sanctions on Chinese companies that supply Russia’s defense industry.

It seems that Blinken’s trip to China was an ineffective attempt to sabotage the “no limits” alliance that Putin had declared during his visit to Beijing in February 2022, a few days before he had dispatched tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine, starting the bloodiest land conflict in Europe since World conflict Two.

Putin is highlighting his goals and the depth of his personal relationship with Xi to the world by choosing China for his first overseas trip since taking office this month and extending his time in office until at least 2030.

The joint declaration, which focused on how the two countries’ combined defense sector collaboration enhanced regional and international security, was characterized as strengthening their strategic relationship. It also included plans to strengthen military relationships.

In a direct allusion to Western efforts to divert the proceeds from frozen Russian assets or the assets themselves to aid Ukraine, it also denounced attempts to confiscate the property and assets of foreign governments.

In a joint statement, both nations expressed their opposition to a protracted conflict in Ukraine and its potential to escalate into an unmanageable phase. Xi stated that all parties agreed that a political solution to the Ukraine problem was the “right direction”.

Putin said he was appreciative of China’s efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict and that he would brief Xi on the situation there, where Russian forces are making multiple advances, during his two-day visit that began on Thursday. The tour will cover topics such as trade, energy, Ukraine, and Asia.

He described his first discussions with Xi as “warm and comradely” and listed areas of mutual strengthening between the two nations, ranging from energy and nuclear cooperation to food supply and Chinese auto production in Russia.

The two-day trip is scheduled to revolve around casual conversations between the leaders and top officials of both sides over tea and dinner later on Thursday.

The most influential CEOs in Russia will be present, along with Putin’s recently appointed defense minister Andrei Belousov, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoigu, and Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov.

At a lavish event commemorating 75 years since the Soviet Union recognized Mao Zedong’s 1949 declaration of the People’s Republic of China, 71-year-old Putin and 70-year-old Xi will take part.

According to US President Joe Biden, an existential struggle between democracies and autocracies will characterize this century, and the US regards Russia as its greatest nation-state threat and China as its main rival.

A broad worldview shared by Putin and Xi portrays the West as decadent and in decline, while China challenges American dominance in fields ranging from physical military strength and espionage to quantum computing and synthetic biology.

Putin will also travel to Harbin, a city with historical ties to Russia in the northeast. According to the China Daily, a mall featuring products created in Russia by roughly 80 firms opened its doors on Thursday.

Since the United States and its allies placed sanctions on both Russia and China in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, China has bolstered its military and trade ties with the former.