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Xi and Putin Bind China and Russia’s Economies Further, Despite War in Ukraine


MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir V. Putin and China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, announced a long-term economic partnership on Tuesday, promising to bring more Russian energy to the country. China and more Chinese companies come to Russia as the two leaders seek to protect their countries from the West. sanctions and other consequences of the war in Ukraine.

The economic commitments, made by the leaders on the second day of Xi’s state visit to Moscow, are a sign that China will continue to do business normally with Russia and that Moscow and North Kinh is circling their wagons, economically at least, against any sanctions from the United States or Europe.

When the two leaders met on Tuesday, Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, visited Kyiv to show support, making the geopolitical fault lines created by Russia’s invasion even more apparent.

It was an important change for Japan, which had drawn a clear line on war and, along with other Group of 7 nations, imposed punish Russia and provide billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine.

Economically drawn and isolated internationally, Russia has relied heavily on China to make up for its business losses since its economy was abruptly cut off by the West. Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Putin’s economic outreach this week was a clear sign that Beijing was gaining leverage over Russia even if it did. they help the neighboring country.

“It was a statement to Russia that said, ‘You know, relax; We are with you,'” Gabuev said of Xi’s trip. “But it is also a statement to the West and the southern hemisphere that China is a country that will not be dictated, that the West tries to say, ‘Putin is a spoiled brat; don’t touch him on the playing field’ doesn’t work with China.”

Although Ukraine’s Western allies have warned that Beijing could supply Moscow with weapons for aggression, neither Mr. Putin nor Mr. Xi mentioned military support, focusing instead on cooperation. economic cooperation.

The Chinese government has described Xi’s trip as a peaceful mission, following Beijing’s sanctions. released last month a broad framework for a political solution to the war. But unpopular comments from the two leaders on Tuesday suggest that there is no breakthrough.

Instead, Xi and Putin’s joint statement argues that Western powers are an obstacle to peace by forming security blocs.

“Russia reaffirmed that it was committed to restarting peace talks as soon as possible, and China expressed its approval,” the statement said. extract from the joint statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. “The resolution of the Ukraine crisis must respect the reasonable security concerns of all countries and prevent the formation of confrontational blocs that add fuel to the fire.”

The White House issued a harsh rebuttal to the joint statement, accusing China of mimicking Russian propaganda and saying Beijing could do more if it really wanted to broker peace.

John F. Kirby, US national security spokesman, told reporters: “If China wants to play a constructive role in this conflict, it must pressure Russia to withdraw its troops from the conflict. Ukraine.

In contrast, American officials praised the Japanese prime minister. During an unusual, unannounced trip to Kyiv, Mr. Kishida announced $470 million in aid for energy and other sectors, and $30 million in non-lethal equipment aid to Ukraine through a fund NATO mandate. At a press conference, he called Russia’s actions “aggression that shakes the foundations of the international order.”

The war moved Japan toward a more active foreign and military policy, a change marked by its Constitution’s restrictions on participation in military action and its longstanding opposition to the United States. public towards the withdrawal of the official stance on pacifism. But since the invasion began, Japan has doubled its military spending over the next five years. This increase increases spending to about 2% of annual economic output, helping Japan to match NATO members.

Its more assertive position reflects both the war and growing concerns about North Korean aggression and Chinese power in the Pacific. A spokesman for China’s foreign ministry responded to Kishida’s visit by saying that Japan should “help de-escalate the situation instead of doing the opposite”.

Since the war began, China has voiced sympathy for Putin’s grievances against the US and NATO, and said Beijing believes in respecting the sovereignty of all countries. China did not send weapons to Russia for use in war, although it did sell technology such as drones that could be used militarily.

At their meeting, Xi indicated that he could also open up an economic path for Putin, although the path would also benefit China by expanding access to resources. Russian energy and market. And although Mr. Xi called the talks “frank, friendly and fruitful” and Mr. Putin called them “successful”, it is not clear that the Russian leader has accomplished everything he desired. .

The agreements include two joint statements on strategic and economic cooperation, and smaller provisions on cooperation in areas such as forestry, soybeans, television and industry in the Russian Far East, according to the report. a list released by the Kremlin. Some of the agreements are incremental updates to decisions made before the summit, such as the one regarding the nuclear power plant Russia is building in China.

Putin boasted that a new natural gas pipeline to China via Mongolia would be ready by 2030, but Xi did not confirm such a deal had been done.

Analysts said that the underlying theme of the meeting was Russia’s growing dependence on China over the past 13 months. Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin remained closely linked throughout that time, but not always with the public enthusiasm that the Chinese leader once showed.

Last year, a few weeks before Mr. Putin sent troops into Ukraine, he and Mr. Xi gave an order Joint statement it’s fighting, even swaggering. The leaders claim their country has a friendship “without limits”.

This year, claims have been more measured.

“The parties note that the relationship between Russia and China, while not constituting a political-military alliance similar to the one established during the Cold War, is superior to the kind of cooperation between China and Russia. these countries,” it said.

These relationships are “not a bloc, are not confrontational, and are not directed against third countries,” although these countries have accused the United States of “undermining” global security.

And in contrast to last year’s summit, where Xi signed off on Putin’s opposition to any NATO expansion, and Putin endorsed China’s opposition to the alliance. U.S. military presence across Asia, their joint appearance on Tuesday featured appearances by the two leaders. withdrew to focus on economic survival.

That invasion drained the Russian economy and the Kremlin’s coffers. In China, Mr. Xi is focusing on repairing an economy that has been weakened by three years of containment. And while Mr. Xi may be reluctant to sell military weapons to Russia and risk sanctions from the United States, he seems willing to side with Mr. Putin in other ways.

Analysts say Mr Xi may not be interested in ending the conflict in Ukraine, but they want to ensure that Mr Putin remains in power.

Gabuev, a member of Carnegie, said: “China knows nothing about the front line in Ukraine. “What they care about is that he doesn’t lose this war to the point where the regime collapses and a pro-Western government is established in Russia.”

Gabuev said that Russia and China’s insistence on keeping Ukraine at the top of their joint agendas is a “fig leaf” for China’s growing leverage in the Beijing-Moscow relationship. He added that Xi had sought to communicate China’s growing influence to the White House.

Seeing Russia as a smaller partner, deeper in China’s pocket, with no choice but China, it would be very beneficial for China to believe that it is in a long-term confrontation with the US, he said. “.

The split between the United States and its allies and Russia and China in opposition to them appeared only more entrenched on Tuesday. The Pentagon announced that the dozens of M1 Abrams tanks it sent to Ukraine were scheduled to arrive in the fall – faster than expected – and perhaps in time to reinforce Ukraine after a planned counterattack. ants.

Valerie Hopkins reports from Moscow, and Chris Buckley from Taipei, Taiwan. Report contributed by Ben Dooley, Masuike Hiroko And Tabuchi Hiroko from Tokyo; Anton Troianovski from Berlin; Ivan Nechepurenko from Tbilisi, Georgia; Victoria Kim from Seoul; Anushka Patil from New York; And John Ismay And Peter Baker from Washington.

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