Chinese leader, the highest-profile guest of Moscow’s WWII commemorations, keen to maintain ‘deep’ relationship with Russia.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has told Russian leader Vladimir Putin that his country will stand with Moscow against “unilateralism and hegemonic bullying” during a visit to the country to commemorate the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Arriving in Moscow on Thursday at the start of a four-day visit, Xi hailed the “deeper” trust developing between the two countries, appearing to take a swipe at Western critics of Russia’s continuing offensive in Ukraine, which Putin has characterised as a war against latter-day Nazis.
“In the face of the international counter-current of unilateralism and hegemonic bullying behaviour, China will work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of major world powers,” Xi told Putin.
Greeting Xi as a “dear friend” in the Kremlin, Putin took the opportunity to underline Moscow’s role in WWII, which he has long accused the West of minimising, and to reinforce his narrative of the Ukraine war as a new battle against Nazis.
“Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand guard over historical truth, protect the memory of the events of the war years and counteract modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism,” he said.
Russia and China, Putin said, now stood together against “neo-Nazism”.
This week, Ukraine’s foreign ministry urged countries not to send their militaries to participate in the Victory Day events, saying it would go against the declared neutrality of some.
Beijing has portrayed itself as a neutral party throughout the conflict, but Kyiv claims it has sent its nationals to assist Moscow on Ukrainian territory.
‘Correct view’
Xi said that China and Russia would jointly defend the “correct view” of the history of WWII, protect the “authority and status” of the United Nations, and defend the “rights and interests” of China, Russia and the “vast majority of developing countries” to promote an “equal, orderly, multipolar, and inclusive economic globalisation”.
His visit comes as United States President Donald Trump applies pressure on Russia and Ukraine to reach a peace agreement after more than three years of war, with Washington embarking on a behind-the-scenes diplomatic reset with Moscow – a development that may be making Beijing nervous.
“Many say that China has some concerns about the current rapprochement between Russia and the US, which is quite evident these days. And that could mean some geopolitical shift that would possibly affect China,” said Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova, reporting from Moscow.
Xi, whose country is locked in a tariff war with the US, is expected to sign numerous agreements to deepen the “no limits” strategic partnership that it signed with Russia in 2022, less than three weeks before Putin sent his army into Ukraine.
Shapovalova said that the Chinese delegation was expected to discuss the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, a “long-delayed” project that has been hampered by disagreements over costs.
“Economic pressure on both sides could push them closer to a compromise this time around,” said Shapovalova.