Xi signs an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin cementing a ‘borderless’ partnership, days after the latter issued an international arrest warrant.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said he signed an agreement with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to tie their relations into a “new era” of cooperation, with the two leaders calling for “responsible dialogue” to resolve the Ukraine crisis.
“We signed a statement on deepening the strategic partnership and bilateral relations entering a new era,” Xi said after talks with Putin in the Kremlin on Tuesday.
He added that China and Russia should work more closely to push forward more “practical cooperation”.
In turn, Putin said that “all agreements have been reached” and that economic cooperation between Moscow and Beijing was a “priority” for Russia.
The Chinese leader visited Moscow days after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin over crimes committed in the neighboring country, where Russian forces have made little progress in recent months despite suffering heavy losses.
The talks were meant to solidify a “borderless” partnership that the two leaders announced last February, less than three weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine.
On the conflict, the Chinese leader said Beijing was “guided by the principles of the United Nations… and promotes a peaceful settlement” of the fighting in Ukraine.
“We are always for peace and dialogue,” he added.
Joint statement
A joint statement included accusations familiar to the West that Washington was undermining global stability and that NATO was penetrating into the Asia-Pacific region.
Putin said the Chinese proposal to end the conflict could be used as a basis for a peace settlement, but that the West and Kiev were not yet ready.
We believe that many of the provisions of the peace plan put forward by China are in line with Russian orientations and can be considered as the basis for a peace settlement when it is ready in the West and in Kiev. “But so far we do not see such readiness on their part.
China’s proposal – a 12-point paper calling for de-escalation and an eventual ceasefire in Ukraine – lacked specifics on how to end the war.
The United States has rejected the plan, given Beijing’s refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying a ceasefire would bring territorial gains for Russia and give Putin’s military more time to regroup.
In response to the meeting, the White House said China’s position was unbiased, and urged Beijing to pressure Russia to withdraw from Ukraine’s sovereign territory to end the war.
After meeting with Xi, Putin accused Western powers of fighting “to the last of Ukraine” and praised the growing trade, energy and political ties between China and Russia.
Describing his talks with Putin as “open and friendly,” Xi reiterated China’s “neutral position” on Ukraine and called for dialogue.
Kiev welcomed China’s diplomatic involvement but said Russia should withdraw its forces from Ukraine and stress the importance of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Kiev had proposed to China that Beijing join a Ukrainian peace formula to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, but it was still waiting for an answer.
Gas and the Internet
The agreement also prompted the planned Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which will transport 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Russia to China via Mongolia.
Putin said Moscow was ready to increase oil exports to Beijing after Russia, China and Mongolia completed all agreements on a planned pipeline to ship Russian gas.
The pipeline has gained immediate importance as Moscow seeks to replace Europe as a major gas customer.
Russian news agency Tass reported that the two leaders also discussed the Internet and agreed that they stand “against the militarization of ICTs and support multilateral, equal and transparent management of the Internet.”
“[They] Support the establishment of a multilateral, equal and transparent global governance system for the Internet while upholding the sovereignty and security of all countries in this field.
Unlimited possibilities
At a state dinner following the talks, Putin toasted the “prosperity” of the Russian and Chinese people.
“I am sure that Russian-Chinese cooperation really has unlimited possibilities and prospects,” he said.
Xi’s state visit was a major boost for Putin as he resists what he sees as a hostile West bent on inflicting a “strategic defeat” on Russia.
Samuel Ramani, associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told Al Jazeera that while Tuesday’s agreement was not an alliance, it was very clear that China and Russia are coordinating on several fronts.
The meeting between Xi and Putin coincided with a rare and unannounced visit by the Japanese prime minister to Kiev, which underlined Tokyo’s support for Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.
Zelensky released footage of him greeting Japan’s Fumio Kishida, who the Ukrainian leader called “a really staunch defender of the international system and an old friend of Ukraine”.
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