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Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a significant meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, garnering global attention. The visit aimed to underscore the profound mutual trust and unrestricted partnership between China and its colossal neighbor.
Putin and his delegation landed at Beijing Capital International Airport on Tuesday morning, marking the Kremlin chief's inaugural official trip outside the former Soviet Union this year, as captured in Reuters' video footage.
The Russian leader is set to be one of the most prominent attendees at an event commemorating the 10th anniversary of Xi's introduction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) policy. This initiative has burdened nations like Zambia and Sri Lanka with significant debt. These countries entered contracts with Chinese firms to construct infrastructure projects, including roads and airports, that were financially beyond their means.
With Russia's invasion of Ukraine, both Putin and Xi have come to share a symbiotic alliance. While China appreciates Russia's role as a bulwark against the West and Moscow increasingly relies on Beijing's largesse in trade and geopolitical backing.
"Since Moscow embarked on its all-out invasion of Ukraine, it has been put in a position where it is unprecedentedly dependent on China," Bjorn Alexander Duben of China's Jilin University told AFP.
“For Russia, China is its lifeline, economic lifeline in its brutal repression against Ukraine,” Alexander Gabuev, director of Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, told AP.
“It’s the major market for Russian commodities, it’s a country that provides its currency and payment system to settle Russia’s trade with the outside world — with China itself, but also with many other countries, and is also the major source of sophisticated technological imports, including dual-use goods that go into the Russian military machine.”
Putin's international travels have been limited since the International Criminal Court (ICC), based in The Hague, issued an arrest warrant for him in March. The ICC accused him of illegally deporting children from Ukraine, leading Putin to visit Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic, earlier this month. It's worth noting that neither Kyrgyzstan nor China are ICC member states, which means they are not bound by the warrant.
Xi Jinping, referring to Putin as his "dear friend," last met with the Russian president in Moscow shortly after the ICC warrant was issued. During this meeting, Xi extended an invitation to Putin to attend the third Belt and Road forum in Beijing, an international cooperation initiative championed by the Chinese leader. The two leaders were scheduled to meet on Wednesday.
Despite ongoing criticism from the West regarding their partnership, China has steadfastly defended its collaboration with Moscow, emphasizing that their ties adhere to international norms. Beijing argues that it has the right to engage with any country it chooses, regardless of external pressures.
Putin's previous visit to China was in February 2022 for the Beijing Winter Olympics, where both nations declared an unrestricted partnership just days before Russia deployed tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. This visit to Beijing marked Putin's third attendance at the Belt and Road Forum, a significant event that focuses on Xi Jinping's Belt and Road initiative. This initiative, launched a decade ago, aims to create global infrastructure and energy networks connecting Asia with Africa and Europe via overland and maritime routes.
Putin has spoken favorably about the Belt and Road Initiative, describing it as a platform for international cooperation. He emphasized the non-coercive nature of China's approach, stating that within this framework, no country imposes its will on others. According to Putin, this aspect distinguishes President Xi Jinping's initiative from other projects that carry a colonialist flavor.
Economically, Russia has strengthened its energy ties with China amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Moscow exports approximately 2.0 million barrels of oil daily to China, accounting for more than a third of its total crude oil exports. Additionally, Russia aims to construct a second natural gas pipeline to China, further solidifying their economic cooperation.
While key figures from Russia's oil and gas companies, Rosneft and Gazprom, accompanied Putin, no new energy deals were anticipated during the visit. The Kremlin clarified that this trip was not a comprehensive bilateral visit but rather a participation in an international conference on the sidelines.
(With inputs from agencies)
English (US)