Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, made a two-day state visit to China on Thursday, underscoring the strength of the two friends as Russia continues its fresh offensive in Ukraine.
Upon his arrival at sunrise, Putin was greeted by an honor guard from the People’s Liberation Army, the military unit of China’s ruling Communist Party.
His limousine, flanked by a battalion of military officers on motorcycles, proceeded into the town. Putin will match with Xi Jinping, the president of China, and other senior leaders.
Driving the media
- This is Putin’s first trip abroad since winning the re-election in March, and it is his next trip to China in just over six times.
- However, this is Putin’s 19th attend to China since he became the Russian leader.
- Russia and China made the announcement during Putin’s attend to Beijing in February 2022, just days before he deployed tens of thousands of soldiers into Ukraine, causing the most significant area fight in Europe since World War Two.
- Putin’s choice of China for his first international trip after being inaugurated for a new six-year term, which will keep him in charge until at least 2030, highlights the importance he places on his relationship with Xi and his top global strategic objectives.
- Putin praised Chinese President Xi Jinping for fostering a” strategic relationship” between Russia and China in a conversation with China’s Xinhua news agency, which he described as being rooted in federal interests and deep mutual respect.
Zoom in
- This visit is more than just a regular political mission; it also serves as a tactical disobedience of pressure from the West.
- The speed and level of military partnerships, such as joint naval maneuvers near proper global areas, signal a growing defense camaraderie.
- These maneuvers, yet, show more about the breadth of their relationship than actual military-operational alliances. The West is becoming more and more concerned about the combined naval patrols near British waters and the Russian participation in Chinese-led military exercises.
- Also, the economic dependence, highlighted by China’s position as a vital supplier to Russia’s defense sector, showcases the depth of their diplomatic ties, which are becoming increasingly crucial in the international arena.
Why it concerns
- In light of the landscape of American dominance, China and Russia’s increasing relationship is crucial as both countries try to assert their dominance on the global stage.
- This empire is crucial for Russia because it continues to be subject to severe economic punishment from the West.
- Through shared activities and systems payments, China’s help not only strengthens Russia’s economy but also strengthens its military might.
- According to a record in the Scholar, the flow of Chinese technologies and other priceless goods to Russian weapons producers has grown to be a major issue for the US. According to US secretary of state Antony Blinken China was the” best supplier” of various things considered be “dual use”, including machine tools, nanotechnology, and ink, a vital part in artillery shells. These things have both civil and military uses.
- ” Russia may struggle to maintain its rape on Ukraine without China’s help”, Blinken said. In a later discussion with Borge Brende, the head of the World Economic Forum, Blinken stated that Chinese tech had been facilitating Russia’s creation of weapons and ammunition, such as weapons and vehicles, at an unprecedented level in its modern history, surpassing even the levels seen during the Cold War era, according to the Economist statement.
What they are saying
- Putin said,” My choice of China as the first state I would visit after taking office as president of the Russian Federation was determined by the unprecedentedly high level of the strategic partnership between our countries.”
- ” We will try to establish closer cooperation in the field of industry and high technology, space and peaceful nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, renewable energy sources and other innovative sectors”, Putin said.
- According to independent Russian political analyst Konstantin Kalachev,” This is Putin’s first trip after his inauguration,” and it is intended to demonstrate that Sino-Russian relations are improving.
- Not to mention the two leaders ‘ apparent genuine personal friendship.
The’ big brother ‘ role reversal
- In recent years, the relationship between Russia and China has undergone a significant change, with Moscow increasingly dependent on Beijing as it is subject to Western sanctions for the conflict in Ukraine.
- Once a partnership of equals, the Russia- China dynamic has become increasingly asymmetrical, with China holding the upper hand. While China accounts for around 33 % of Russia’s overall trade, Russia makes up only 4 % of China’s trade, according to data provider CEIC Data.
- China has emerged as a crucial source of essential goods for Russia, providing everything from electronics to washing machines to tractors.
- However, Russia’s arms exports to China have fallen precipitously in recent years, while China has become a significant provider of optics, microelectronics, drone engines, and other materials that enable Russia’s weapons production. China’s position has also changed as to the two nations ‘ energy trade.
- ” It’s a strategic partnership where both sides need each other but it’s increasingly asymmetrical in China’s favor”, Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, told the Wall Street Journal. China is” not only the more powerful partner, but also the one with many more choices than Russia,” and the conflict has only made that more apparent.
- Russia, with its oil and gas now shunned in Europe, has had to sell at significant discounts to China.
- China’s advantage is apparent in negotiations over new projects like the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, where Beijing’s unwillingness to finalize terms highlights its influence over Moscow.
- According to a report from the LA Times, Putin has adopted a noticeably deferential tone toward Xi Jinping, who is occasionally criticized for his haughty displays of making other leaders wait during their visits to the Kremlin.
- No wonder that Vladimir Putin’s visit was referred to as “his big brother will meet him in Beijing,” according to an Economist report.
What next
- China, once the junior partner of Moscow in the global Communist hierarchy, has emerged as by far the most powerful of Russia’s friends in the world.
- Consequently, in the evolving personal relationship between the two “presidents for life”, Xi has emerged as the “big brother” to Putin.
- The strengthening ties between China and Russia also represent a significant shift in global alliances and power structures. The effects of their collaboration will undoubtedly go far beyond their own borders, putting the pressure on the world’s current order and putting the Western powers ‘ diplomatic will to the test.
( With inputs from agencies )
