close ally of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia met with China’s top leader Xi Jinping, on Wednesday, and sign of in countries, the alignment against the backdrop of Russia’s deepening international isolation.
Dmitry Anatolievich Medvedev, former President of Russia and prime minister held a previously unannounced meeting with Mr Xi in Beijing as Chinese and Russian warships begin week-long joint exercises in East China Sea.
China remained an important, if silent, counterbalance international censure of Mr Putin. Russia supported China’s claims over island democracy of Taiwan and trade between two countries increased as the United States and Europe imposed sanctions and tried to stifle off Russia economy.
However, China does not seem to want to openly support Russian military efforts in Ukraine has refrained from supplying weapons or is actively helping Moscow to circumvent Western sanctions.
“Russia tried to portray a better relationship with China than reality allows,” Yun Song said. director of China program at the Washington Stimson Center. “This shows how they are desperate how China wasn’t as helpful as they would have been like”.
Mr Medvedev is a longtime ally of Putin and has become one of in government, the most hawkish pro-voices hard line against Ukraine and its allies, primarily the United States. He is vice chairman of Putin’s Security Council and head of Decree of Mr. Putin party United Russia.
Mr Medvedev said in short video message after the meeting with Mr Xi that he discussed “cooperation between the two ruling parties” as well as “our strategic partnership in all areas.”
For the Kremlin, the meeting served as a useful counter-programming. hours before President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was supposed to meet with President Biden. On Monday, Mr. Putin himself met with President Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko of Belarus to discuss deepening economic and military ties with Russia’s closest ally.
In Beijing, Mr Xi told Mr Medvedev that the relationship between the two countries “withstood test of international changesand that their partnership was a “long-term strategic choice made both sides,” state-run China Central Television reported.
Mr. Xi stressed that China strongly supports the idea of holding peace talks over Ukraine, and said that China hopes that “the relevant parties will exercise reasonable restraint.” in a crisis.
military exercises, annual naval exercises conducted since 2012, year what started with China and Russia vow ‘borderless’ partnership on the day before of Russia invasion of Ukraine. Since then, Beijing has continued to inflow funds into buy Russian oil as US and Europe impose sanctions. While Mr Putin referred to the “questions and concerns” raised by Mr Xi when they met in human in September, countries”economic and military ties continued to deepen.
Exercises involving a Russian guided missile cruiser and Chinese destroyers will include joint air defense and ASW to improve coordination and cooperation between the two navies, according to statements from both countries’foreign ministries.
Military cooperation between the two countries scaled up over in past decade, although Russia and China are not formal allies that would come to each other on defense in war. Both view United States as their main security threat and want create an alternative international order led by Europe and the US.
During the discussion in Moscow in October, Mr. Putin praised the state of connections with China, stating that they have “reached an unprecedented level of openness, mutual trust and efficiency in recent decades.”
Zixu Wang made a report.
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