Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Moscow to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin next week, the two countries said on Friday, as Beijing tries to mediate between Russia and Ukraine to end the ongoing conflict.
This is going to be the first officials visit of the Chinese Premier to Russia since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on February 24, 2022, said the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry.
President Xi’s three-day visit from 20-22 March comes after China published a 12-point plan for a political resolution to the Ukraine crisis last month. Chinese officials are in contact with Russian and Ukrainian authorities to find a comprehensive solution to the war in Ukraine.
However, the United States and NATO member states describe Beijing’s mediation efforts as not reliable as it has refrained from condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the UN Security Council meeting held on February 24, 2023.
The Kremlin said in a statement that Xi and Putin would discuss topics to further strengthen the partnership and strategic cooperation between China and Russia, with no comment on Ukraine.
China and Russia announced the so-called ‘No Limit’ partnership in February 2022, right before the invasion of Ukraine. The deep partnership between Beijing and Moscow came under scrutiny by the Western powers as China did not condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, China has been allegedly accused of possible supply of arms to Russia by the US and NATO.
On March 14, with China’s direct mediation, it was agreed between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore diplomatic and economic ties is the latest development in the geopolitical shifts in the Gulf region that have been taking shape since January 2021.
Apparently, China plays a significantly important role not only in driving the global economy but also in other domains including diplomacy, security, and more.
