BEIJING (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday arrived in Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympic Video games and talks together with his Chinese language counterpart Xi Jinping, as the 2 leaders look to undertaking themselves as a counterweight to the U.S. and its allies.
The Russian chief’s go to comes amid rising Chinese language help for Moscow in its dispute with Ukraine that threatens to interrupt out into armed battle.
Putin’s presence makes him the highest-profile visitor on the occasion following the choice by the U.S., Britain and others to not ship officers in protest over China’s human rights abuses and its therapy of Uyghurs and different Muslim minorities.
Putin’s arrival from Moscow early Friday afternoon was confirmed by Russian state information company RIA. The 2 leaders are on account of maintain talks then have a non-public lunch collectively.
The discussions mark their first in-person assembly since 2019 and are available as China and Russia more and more align their overseas insurance policies bilaterally and in world our bodies such because the United Nations, in opposition to the United States-led bloc.
Leaders of the 5 ex-Soviet Central Asian nations, which have shut ties with each Russia and China, all adopted Putin’s lead and are attending, together with different states which have political and financial pursuits with Beijing.
U.N. Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres, World Well being Group Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Director Normal of the World Mental Property Group Daren Tang have been amongst different dignitaries who arrived Thursday.
The Putin-Xi talks are anticipated to concentrate on coordinating their international locations’ overseas insurance policies, with Putin writing in an article printed Thursday by the Chinese language information company Xinhua that Moscow and Beijing play an “necessary stabilizing position” in world affairs and assist make worldwide affairs “extra equitable and inclusive.”
The Russian president criticized “makes an attempt by some international locations to politicize sports activities to the good thing about their ambitions,” an obvious reference to a U.S.-led diplomatic boycott, which doesn’t have an effect on the participation of athletes within the Video games.
Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s overseas affairs adviser, mentioned that Moscow and Beijing plan to difficulty a joint assertion that may mirror their shared views on world safety, as officers from the 2 international locations are set to signal greater than a dozen agreements on commerce, vitality and different points.
Ushakov famous that Moscow and Beijing have shut or equivalent stands on most worldwide points. He mentioned China helps Russia’s calls for for safety ensures which have underpinned the standoff over Ukraine.
Chinese language Overseas Minister Wang Yi instructed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a name final week that Moscow’s safety issues should be taken critically and addressed, a press release that marked a notable coverage shift for Beijing.
A buildup of greater than 100,000 Russian troops close to Ukraine has fueled Western fears that Moscow is poised to invade its neighbor. Russia has denied planning an offensive however urged the U.S. and its allies to supply a binding pledge that NATO gained’t increase to Ukraine and different ex-Soviet nations or deploy weapons there, and roll again its forces from Japanese Europe — calls for firmly rejected by the West.
Some observers advised that Beijing is carefully watching how the U.S. and its allies act within the standoff over Ukraine because it ponders additional technique on Taiwan, arguing that indecision by Washington may encourage China to develop extra assertive.
Russia and China have held a collection of joint battle video games, together with naval drills and patrols by long-range bombers over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. In August, Russian troops for the primary time deployed to Chinese language territory for joint maneuvers.
Putin has additionally famous that Russia has been sharing extremely delicate army applied sciences with China that helped considerably bolster its protection functionality.