As of: March 19, 2024, 7:59 a.m
By: Sven Hauberg
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Chinese President Xi Jinping is one of Vladimir Putin's closest allies.
After the Russia election, congratulations came from Beijing for the winner.
Vladimir Putin will have to forego congratulations from Western politicians after his election victory.
After the weekend's presidential election, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, for example, did not address Putin, but rather the opposition or what was left of it in Russia.
“There will be no letter to Putin,” Steinmeier’s spokeswoman told the
Tagesspiegel
.
On the other hand, Russia's old and new president can rely on China; state and party leader Xi Jinping congratulated Putin on his victory on Monday.
“Your re-election fully reflects the support of the Russian people for you,” Xi said in a phone call quoted by the state news agency Xinhua.
"I am convinced that under your leadership, Russia will be able to achieve greater success in the development and construction of the country." The People's Republic wants the "healthy, stable and profound development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia." of the new era for the benefit of the two countries and peoples," Xi continued.
Putin the clear election winner
Putin received more than 87 percent of the vote in the presidential election, the country's election commission said after counting 98 percent of the ballots.
The congratulations from Beijing do not come as a surprise.
But they show once again how close China and Russia are, even two years after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Xi Jinping sees Putin as an ally in his mission against Western dominance.
For him, six more years of Vladimir Putin are not a threat, but an opportunity.
China and Russia have increasingly moved closer together in recent years.
Will there now be a break in the documents?
© Sergei Savostyanov/Imago
After the Russia election: Xi and Putin dream of a new world order
“A change is coming that has not happened in 100 years.
And we are driving this change forward together,” Xi whispered to the Russian President during his state visit to Moscow in March last year.
Both reject the international order led by the USA and see themselves as leaders of a Global South oppressed by the West.
Xi and Putin are working on their vision of a new world order in joint formats such as the Brics group of states.
Xi accepts that Putin is waging a bloody war of aggression in Ukraine that violates international law.
China is officially neutral in the Ukraine war, but neither demands a withdrawal of Russian troops from the occupied territories nor has it ever condemned the invasion.
Why?
Although Beijing always calls for a ceasefire quite generally, it benefits from the war like no other country.
China is buying record amounts of cheap Russian oil and gas and in return exports cars and household goods to Russia.
This is possible because the West and its allies have imposed sanctions on Russia that China does not support.
Last year, for example, the share of Chinese car manufacturers in the Russian market rose from eight percent in 2021 to 55 percent;
Overall, trade in goods and services between Russia and the People's Republic climbed to a record high of more than 240 billion US dollars (around 219 billion euros), an increase of 26.3 percent compared to the previous year.
Although China does not supply weapons or ammunition to Russia, it does supply so-called dual-use goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
These include protective vests or armored vehicles.
The suffering of the people of Ukraine means good business for China.
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Xi Jinping also has a loyal supporter at his side in Putin on the Taiwan issue.
On Monday, in a speech at his party's headquarters, Putin reiterated the Russian position that the island state claimed by Beijing is part of China.
Attempts by Beijing's rivals to stage provocations around China are doomed to failure, Putin continued.
“China highly praises President Putin’s position,” said China’s Foreign Ministry happily shortly afterwards.
Xi and Putin last met in person in Beijing last October; it was the Russian president's 18th trip to China since he took office in 2000. According to Zhang Hanhui, the Chinese ambassador in Moscow, “several meetings are planned for this year “planned by the two heads of state.
Among other things, Putin is expected in China again.
The Russian president's visit will "definitely be a success," Zhang said in an interview in early February.
“China is looking forward to his arrival.”