Xi heads to Moscow in first visit since the invasion of Ukraine
The announcement of the visit comes a day after China’s foreign minister, Qin Gang, called for peace talks during a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia from March 20 to 22, the Chinese foreign ministry and the Kremlin announced on Friday — a month after Beijing floated a 12-point peace plan in an attempt to end the conflict triggered by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The announcement of the visit comes a day after China’s foreign minister, Qin Gang, called for peace talks during a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba.
Beijing has so far refused to describe Moscow’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine as an invasion and instead blamed the US and NATO for provoking Moscow.
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“Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from March 20 to 22 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Friday.
In Moscow, the news agency Associated Press quoted a statement issued by the Kremlin which announced that Xi and Putin would discuss “issues of further development of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction between Russia and China”, and exchange views “in the context of deepening Russian-Chinese cooperation in the international arena”.
While officials in Beijing and Moscow said Xi’s visit will be about peace and cooperation, it is clearly a show of China’s unequivocal support for Russia in a conflict, which has divided the world into broadly two camps.
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“China’s proposition boils down to one sentence, which is to urge peace and promote talks,” foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said. “Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Russia will be a trip of friendship, cooperation and peace,” he added.
It will also be Xi’s first foreign trip after securing a norm-breaking third-term as China’s president earlier this month, another sure sign of close ties between Beijing and Moscow.
China and Russia announced a “no limits” partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympics, just days before the Russian army invaded Ukraine, triggering the biggest conflict seen in Europe since World War 2, and which has now lasted for over a year.
Xi will have a detailed discussion with Putin about the “most pressing global and regional issues”, Wang said.
China is concerned about the escalation of the war in Ukraine and the situation spiralling out of control, Qin told Kuleba on Thursday evening amid speculation that Xi is also likely to soon speak with Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky.
“We hope that Russia and Ukraine will keep hope for dialogue and negotiation, and will not close the door to a political solution, no matter how difficult and challenging it is. China will continue to play a constructive role for a ceasefire to stop the war, ease the crisis and restore peace,” Qin said.
News agency AFP said Xi last visited Russia in 2019, while Putin attended the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Beijing last year. The two leaders also met at a regional security gathering in Uzbekistan in September.
Ahead of the meeting, US said it would oppose a call for cease-fire in Ukraine as “ratification of Russian conquest”, AP reported.
In Washington on Friday, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said, “A ceasefire now is, again, effectively the ratification of Russian conquest.” It would, he added, “in effect recognize Russia’s gains and its attempt to conquer its neighbor’s territory by force, allowing Russian troops to continue to occupy sovereign Ukrainian territory.”
A spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Britain would welcome any genuine effort by China aimed at “restoring sovereignty to Ukraine”. “Any peace deal which is not predicated on Ukraine’s sovereignty and self-determination is not a peace deal at all,” Sunak’s spokesman Jamie Davies said.
