A highly political meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Monday March 20 for a summit with Vladimir Putin. This three-day state visit to Russia, a country with which China maintains important diplomatic and economic relations, is the first of the Chinese leader in his neighbor for nearly four years.
“I am convinced that this visit will be fruitful and give new impetus to the healthy and stable development of Sino-Russian relations.”said the Chinese leader, quoted by Russian news agencies. According to him, China is “ready to stand firmly with Russia” in favor of a “true multilateralism” and one “multipolarity in the world”. The two leaders will notably discuss the war in Ukraine, which China has never publicly condemned. Follow our live.
A dinner and discussions. Chinese President and Vladimir Putin will have a first face-to-face “informal” Monday before a dinner, then discussions on Tuesday, announced the diplomatic adviser of the Kremlin. Both leaders must sign “a joint declaration (…) on the deepening of relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic relationship”.
A relationship in good shape. In an article published Monday in a Chinese newspaper, Vladimir Putin believes that “Russian-Chinese relations have reached the highest point in their history”. Xi Jinping, who has just started a third term as president, regularly calls the head of the Kremlin his “old friend”.
The Chinese position criticized by Western countries. The United States has already said that it will not support a new Chinese call for a ceasefire. Washington considers that this would amount to consolidating the Russian hold on the territories conquered in Ukraine.