With an elaborate display of military honours at Tiananmen Square and a departing embrace at Zhongnanhai, Xi Jinping welcomed Vladimir Putin to Beijing. This meeting accentuated the importance of the Sino-Russian relationship, described by Xi two years prior as an unbounded friendship. The repercussions of Putin’s incursion into Ukraine in February 2022, and the ensuing economic sanctions by America and Europe, have deepened Russia’s reliance on China. Despite presenting an official stance of neutrality towards the conflict and abstaining from military aid, Beijing has extended diplomatic backing and economic sustenance to Moscow.
A joint manifesto, spanning 7,000 words, outlined pledges of increased collaboration in sectors such as trade, finance, and energy. The delegation accompanying Putin had a heavy concentration of economic experts. Striking elements in the doctrine were those relating to security, and the mutual perception that the U.S. poses a threat to their vested interests.
China and Russia circulated accusations of the US endeavouring to destabilise strategic equilibrium by establishing a worldwide missile defence infrastructure, including installations around the globe and outer space. The duo alleged that Washington was exploiting the ruse of joint drills with allies to station ground-based, intermediate-range missile systems in Asia-Pacific.
The joint statement voiced strong disapproval for these tactics, which they believed directly threatened the safety of both nations and disrupted regional stability. The two powerhouse nations expressed their intent to amplify their coordination and cooperation as a counter-strategy to the so-called ‘dual containment’ approach of the US towards Russia and China — an attitude they decried as negative and adversarial.
European leaders anticipated that Xi would utilise Putin’s visit to urge the Russian leader to halt the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, Putin declined Xi’s suggestion for a ceasefire during the Olympic Games and subsequently inferred that the prospect of peace talks only surfaced as Kyiv struggled on the battlefront.
Although the upcoming peace summit in Switzerland will not feature Russian representation, China’s participation is yet to be confirmed. Putin and Xi emphasised in their statement that any attempt to resolve the escalating Ukraine problem would necessitate an understanding of the core issues that led to the current situation.
In the course of his visit, Putin reiterated that an initial peace agreement, which was agreed upon by all parties in Istanbul in April 2022 but later discarded by Volodymyr Zelenskiy due to Western influence, might serve as the foundation for a fresh pact. Zelenskiy might alter his present negotiation standpoint if he is prompted by the Swiss peace conference, thereby enabling Xi to assist Putin in making a similar move.