The weakness of Russia due to the war waged against Ukraine and the involvement of the United States and Europe in support of kyiv have opened up a new scenario for China.
“Crises constantly appear, but in crises there are opportunities, and opportunities also turn into crises.
This is a historic experience," the head of diplomacy of the Asian superpower, Wang Yi, told Russian President Vladimir Putin on an official visit to Moscow on Wednesday to show the good relations between the two countries.
"In the context of a very complex and volatile international situation, relations between China and Russia have withstood the pressure of the international community and are constantly developing," stressed the Foreign Affairs Chief of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (Security Adviser ).
Wang is the highest-ranking official to visit Moscow since September 2022, when Putin and China's leader Xi Jinping certified a "limitless" friendship.
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“Our relations are not always directed towards third countries and, therefore, they are not subject to pressure from others.
We have a solid foundation in the economy, politics and culture," Wang Yi added, according to the transcript of the conversation released by the Kremlin.
In addition to talking with Putin, the head of Chinese diplomacy also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
According to Moscow, Wang Yi has conveyed to him the views of the Asian power on the war in Ukraine, both his motives and "his approaches to a political solution."
The Russian statement does not describe which ones, but Lavrov "positively assessed Beijing's constructive line" and highlighted "the high degree of closeness" with his own vision of conflict.
good tune
Both parties showed their good harmony in all the matches.
"We are prepared, together with the Russian side, to deepen strategic cooperation and mutual political trust," the Chinese Security Adviser promised the Russian president at the beginning of their meeting, the only part of their conversation that the authorities have released. .
Putin, for his part, reminded Beijing that the Kremlin has agreed to a meeting with the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, once the next session of the National People's Congress of China, scheduled for early March, ends.
"We understand that there is an internal political agenda," the Russian president excused.
Wang Yi's official trip to Russia was the second leg of a tour that took him to the Munich Security Conference a few days ago.
The Secretary of State of the North American country, Antony Blinken, assured after meeting there with the Asian diplomat that Beijing is preparing to supply the Kremlin with weapons.
"Regarding Russia's brutal war against Ukraine, the Secretary of State warned of the implications and consequences that this material support from China or its assistance for the systemic evasion of sanctions may imply," said the statement released by Washington.
Before the meeting with Lavrov, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zajárova, published an image of the handshake of both diplomats in which the senior Chinese official was laughing.
“I don't know what Sergei Viktorovich [Lavrov] told Wang Yi, but I would call this photograph: 'Do you know that Biden said that the West is not our enemy?' Zajárova commented on her social networks.
Putin, who stressed that the cooperation of both nations "is very important to stabilize the international situation," took advantage of Wang's visit to re-emphasize his thesis that the West wants to impose a unipolar world.
However, Wang Yi took a more moderate view: “China and Russia jointly support multipolarity and democratization of international relations.
This fully responds to the trends of the time and history, as well as the interests of most countries.
Russia's break with the West has deepened its ties with China.
On the one hand, the sanctions have pushed Moscow to seek a substitute for the European one in the Asian market;
The volume of business between the two countries will reach 200,000 million dollars in 2024 (about 188,000 million euros).
On the other hand, at the military level, both powers are partners, although not allies, and have strengthened their joint military exercises.
The next joint warfare exercises are scheduled for February 25-27 in the Indian Ocean.
Several ships from Russia, China and South Africa will participate in them, and the exercises will include defending against an air attack and boarding other ships.
In addition, China and Russia share cultural aspects: the Asian Chess Federation will decide, on the 28th, whether to approve the Russian request to move its players from Europe to its continent.
A movement that seems minor, but that would not only benefit the Russian side, which could evade the weight of the sanctions, but would consolidate Asia as the dominant player in the sector.
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