China says it wants to “strengthen strategic cooperation” with Russia
Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, said Tuesday, alongside his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that Beijing would strengthen cooperation with Moscow. The head of Russian diplomacy arrived in China on Monday for a two-day official visit, the two countries seeking to strengthen their relations as Russia continues its offensive in Ukraine.
“China will support Russia’s stable development under the leadership [du président russe, Vladimir] Poutine “Wang Yi promised Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. “Beijing and Moscow will continue to strengthen strategic cooperation on the global stage and provide each other with strong support”added the Chinese minister, according to the same source. “The support of the people is a source of progress in Russia. I believe that under the firm leadership of President Putin, the Russian people will have a bright future.”continued Wang Yi, according to the Russian media Izvestia.
For his part, in a video published by Izvestia on Telegram, Sergei Lavrov thanked Beijing for ” support “ brought to President Vladimir Putin after his recent re-election, in a vote in which no real rival was able to stand. The Chinese president, “Xi Jinping, (…) was among the first to send congratulations to President-elect Putin, and we are grateful to our Chinese friends for this support”did he declare. “The election results confirmed the deep trust of the Russian people in our leader and in current domestic and foreign policies”added Mr. Lavrov, according to RIA Novosti.
Sergei Lavrov also denounced the “illegal sanctions” Western powers exerted on his country which, according to him, violate international standards. “This policy is being actively applied also against [la Chine] », he lamented. He accused the West of seeking to hinder “China’s economic and technological development opportunities, to put it simply, to eliminate competitors”.
In March 2023, Xi Jinping visited Moscow, reaffirming with Vladimir Putin “a friendship without limits” between their countries, brought together by their common denunciation of what they present as Western hegemony on the international scene. The two presidents also met on the sidelines of the “new Silk Roads” forum in Beijing in October.
“As permanent members of the UN Security Council and emerging great powers, China and Russia must clearly stand on the side of historical progress, fairness and justice”declared Wang Yi during a meeting with the press alongside Sergei Lavrov, after their meeting. “We must oppose any hegemony, tyranny or intimidation, the Cold War mentality and any incitement to division and confrontation”did he declare.
Wang Yi also claimed to have discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine with his Russian counterpart. “China will always play a constructive role on the international stage and in multilateral affairs, without ever adding fuel to the fire, much less taking advantage of it”specified the highest Chinese diplomat.
Beijing advocates political settlement to end fighting in Ukraine. China calls for respect for the territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine, but has never publicly condemned Russia for its military operation. Beijing is thus regularly called upon by Westerners to play a more active role in the settlement of hostilities, by using its influence over Moscow.