While Russian President Vladimir Putin offered exceptional courtesy to Chinese President Xi Jinping on a state visit to Russia, the White House criticized Russia on the 20th (local time) as “China’s low-level partner.”
White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said at a briefing that day, “Putin sees President Xi as the lifeline of his failed military. While President Putin called Xi, who was visiting Russia for the first time in four years, a “dear friend,” and Xi made clear his policy of strengthening cooperation with Russia and started to build anti-US solidarity, the White House announced that China-Russia relations would be in conflict with each other. It is compared to ‘arranged marriage’, which is temporarily combined as needed.
In particular, in response to the question, “Do you think Russia has become a country dependent on China?”, Kirby said, “It is clear that Russia is a junior partner in China-Russia relations.” It means that President Putin, who has not been able to achieve his original goal on the battlefield in Ukraine, is asking for various aids from China at the risk of inferiority.
However, Coordinator Kirby said at the China-Russia summit that it was “difficult to be certain” about the possibility of China deciding to provide arms support to Russia, and “I just don’t believe that China has put it off the negotiating table.”
He then emphasized that he would continue to promote visits to China by the Secretary of State, Finance and Commerce, as well as a phone call between US President Joe Biden and President Xi. “We hope to open economic communication channels with China,” Kirby said. He continued, “The possibility that President Biden will speak with President Xi at an appropriate time is still open.”
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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.