Russian President Vladimir Putin is on a two-day official visit to Beijing to reiterate the deepening “borderless” partnership with China. This is Putin’s first foreign trip since his inauguration as president.
To recall the important milestones in bilateral relations, China published its policy position paper on Ukraine in February 2023, and a month later, President Xi Jinping visited Moscow and delivered important messages. One year after this visit, Putin paid a return visit to Beijing upon Xi’s invitation.
With the war in Ukraine, the dynamics of Russia-China relations changed rapidly. Following the sanctions imposed on Moscow, Western companies started to leave Russia and China started to fill the gap in the commercial arena. In 2023, trade between Beijing and Moscow reached a record high of $240 billion as Chinese companies increased their investments.[1]
Leaving aside trade items, what the West is focusing on is the implications of China’s military cooperation with Russia for the war in Ukraine. China constantly emphasizes that its defense industry cooperation with Russia is subject to bilateral agreements signed long ago and that there is no additional support beyond this.
The fact that Xi, who has just returned from his European tour, hosted Putin in his country shortly afterward may have raised Western concerns. With this visit, China once again demonstrates that it keeps its ties with Russia separate from its relations with the West. Washington, on the other hand, calls on Beijing to distance itself from Moscow in order to develop fruitful relations with Europe.[2]
First of all, the United States of America (USA) has been instrumental in Europe’s recent trade wars against China. In other words, the US is trying to use its relations with Europe to increase pressure on China. In this context, Washington brings China’s political-commercial ties with Europe to the agenda in order to distance Beijing from Moscow. Moreover, implying that it can disrupt these relations (China-Europe connection), the US aims to discourage China from establishing close political-military-commercial ties with Russia.
In its calls to Europe and other countries, China urges them to resist the US efforts to divide the world into “Cold War” blocs. The Western World, skeptical of China’s economic-political-military relations with the countries of the world, then divides the world into blocs by using a marginalizing language against China. The main division here is actually between Europe and Russia. However, China is also negatively affected by this division and has difficulty in maintaining a balanced foreign policy.
Us concerns and criticisms center on the possibility that products that China exports to Russia under previous agreements could be used in Ukraine for dual use. The Western world argues that this trade allows Russia to develop its defense industry. Consequently, both the United States and European countries are threatening more comprehensive action if China continues to ship certain goods to Russia. [3]
Putin’s visit is also related to China’s intensive efforts over the last year to find a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine, In fact, Xi, who hosted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Beijing on April 16, 2024, announced 4 new principles for the resolution of the crisis in Ukraine.[4] In this context, Xi called for “restoring peace and stability by moving away from selfish interests, de-escalating the conflict, avoiding escalatory moves and minimizing the impact on the world economy.” [5]
In an interview with Xinhua News Agency ahead of his visit to Beijing, Putin praised China’s approach to Ukraine, calling it “realistic and constructive steps” that “develop the idea of the need to overcome the Cold War mentality” 6 In this respect, China and Russia may in fact share similar views on the reasons for the war, but they may also differ on the ways to resolve it.[6] This is because China’s 12-point position paper on the crisis in Ukraine, which was made public in February 2023, also emphasizes the establishment of the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
China has consistently promoted peace talks to resolve the Ukraine Crisis and supports the organization of an international peace conference recognized by both Russia and Ukraine with equal participation of all parties. However, Russia was not invited to the peace conference planned to be held in Switzerland in mid-June 2024. In this respect, it can be said that China and Russia are on a common line.
To date, Beijing has closely monitored the use of products exported to Moscow in an attempt to avoid possible Western sanctions. Nevertheless, China has been the target of Western economic sanctions over the war. In May, the US announced sanctions against more than 280 entities, including 20 firms based in China and Hong Kong. Therefore, as long as the war in Ukraine continues, China will continue to be subject to Western sanctions.[7] Therefore, China could step up its efforts to end the war in Ukraine and help Russia come together with Europe on certain issues.
[1] “Russia’s Putin to visit China on President Xi’s invitation”, Press Tv, https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/05/14/725583/Vladimir-Putin-to-visit-China, (Access Date: 15.05.2024).
[2] “State Department advises China to stop supporting Russia before Putin’s visit”, Ukrinform, https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/3863813-state-department-advises-china-to-stop-supporting-russia-before-putins-visit.html, (Access Date: 15.05.2024).
[3] “Putin to meet Xi in Beijing as world convulses from global conflicts”, CNN, https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/14/china/xi-putin-china-summit-intl-hnk/index.html, (Access Date: 15.05.2024).
[4] “Xi puts forth four principles to resolve Ukraine crisis”, The State Council-PRC, https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202404/16/content_WS661e4336c6d0868f4e8e61fa.html, (Access Date: 15.05.2024).
[5] Ibid.
[6] “‘Genuine desire’: Putin backs China peace plan to end Ukraine war”, Al Jazeraa, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/15/genuine-desire-putin-backs-china-peace-plan-to-end-ukraine-war, (Access Date: 15.05.2024).
[7] Ibid.
