As US President Joe Biden makes a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiiu and intensifies pressure on Russia, China and Russia are getting closer. On the afternoon of the 21st (local time), Wang Yi, a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, who is the de facto diplomatic commander of China and a close aide to Chinese President Xi Jinping, visited Moscow, Russia. Analysts say that the clock for President Xi’s visit to Russia is accelerating.
On the 21st, the Global Times, a Chinese state-run English-language newspaper, reported that “Wang Commissioner will visit Russia as the last itinerary of his European tour,” without disclosing a specific schedule. Russia’s TASS news agency said, “The royal commissioner will arrive in Moscow on the afternoon of the 21st,” and quoted Russian Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying, “There is a possibility that the royal commissioner will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.” A spokesperson for Peskov added that the Wang’s visit “will be discussed in depth because the agenda is very clear.”
In this regard, the US Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 20th that “the visit of the royal commissioner to Russia is a preliminary preparation for President Xi’s visit to Russia.” President Xi has visited Russia a total of eight times since coming to power in late 2012. It is the most visited country. The second most visited countries were the United States and Kazakhstan, with a total of four visits. This is proof that President Xi is putting a lot of effort into China-Russia relations.
Xi’s last visit to Russia was in June 2019. Since then, I have not been able to visit due to the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19). However, President Putin visited Beijing in February of last year to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics despite the atmosphere of Corona 19 and the Western Olympic boycott, showing off the friendship between the two countries.
There is a prospect that President Xi’s visit to Russia could be in the middle of next month at the earliest. This means that the two sessions (National People’s Congress and National People’s Political Consultative Conference), the largest annual political events in China, will open on the 4th of next month and end on the 11th, so it is highly likely that President Xi’s visit to Russia will be right after the two sessions. Earlier, on the 30th of last month, TASS news agency, citing the Russian Foreign Ministry, said, “President Putin invited President Xi to Moscow this spring.” Considering that the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the time of President Xi’s visit was spring, and that the Wang Commissioner’s visit, which is of a preparatory nature, said that ‘the agenda is clear’, it is likely that President Xi will play a mediating role in the war in Ukraine through his visit to Russia. Expectations are growing that this is not the case.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) of the United States said on the 20th (local time), “The Chinese leadership is concerned about Russia’s defeat in the war due to the strengthening of Western support for Ukraine.” told China plans to unveil the so-called ‘Xi Jinping Proposal’ on the 24th in relation to the end of the war in Ukraine. Some speculate that the king’s commissioner will explain the peace plan to President Putin this time and ask for his consent.
On the 21st, China also announced the concept of the ‘Global Security Initiative (GSI)’, an international security initiative of President Xi, around the first anniversary of the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency emphasized the GSI’s core ideology: “Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each country, sovereign equality and non-intervention in internal affairs are the foundation of international relations.” Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said at a forum that day, “The GSI shows China’s firm determination to maintain world peace.” ” claimed.
| period | detail | meaning |
| June 2019 | Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia | Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia |
| June 2021 | Xi Jinping-Putin Video Summit | Extension of Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between China and Russia, Demonstration of Solidarity Against the US |
| February 2022 | Putin Attends Opening Ceremony of Beijing Winter Olympics, Holds Summit with President Xi | U.S. and Western countries are in close contact amid the boycott of the Beijing Olympics |
| December 2022 | Xi Jinping-Putin Video Summit | They are known to have exchanged views on the war in Ukraine. |
| December 2022 | Former President Medvedev (Putin’s closest aide) visited Beijing and met Xi Jinping | Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia seems to have been promoted |
| January 2023 | Russian Foreign Ministry “President Xi will visit Russia in the spring” | Official confirmation from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but no schedule disclosed |
| February 2023 | Wang Yi’s Politburo Visit to Russia | Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia likely to be discussed |
| ▽The most visited countries respectively -President Xi has visited Russia 8 times since coming to power at the end of 2012 – President Putin has visited China 14 times since coming to power in 2000 ▽Russia was also the first country on which President Xi made an overseas trip after coming to power (March 2013) ▽Last opponent country visit record ▽The last videoconference is in December 2022 Source: Foreign Press Comprehensive |
Beijing =
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.