The Great Wall and Tiananmen Square Against the White House

The Great Wall of China and Red Square against the White House

Meeting between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in Moscow

According to Iran Gate, the Great Wall of China and Red Square against the White House, China’s President Xi Jinping traveled to Moscow on the morning of March 20 for a three-day trip. The meeting between these two great friends will cover various bilateral issues, and according to Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, they will also discuss China’s proposal for peace with Ukraine.

This meeting, which has received extensive coverage in the Chinese media and raised high expectations, comes one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unexpected visit to Mariupol in Ukraine, on the front lines of the war. More importantly, it comes just a few days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin on charges of war crimes. This highly symbolic decision will have limited consequences, as Moscow, like the United States and Ukraine, does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

However, the main focus of this summit is Beijing’s willingness to mediate and find a solution to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, although China’s declaration of readiness to play a mediating role does not address the fundamental ambiguity that has been evident so far.

Xi Jinping emphasized in an article written for the Russian press that the international community has come to realize that no country is superior to another, there is no global model of governance, and no country should dictate international order. Finding a solution and agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine will be possible if both parties adhere to the guidelines related to the concept of collective security.

Xi Jinping, the man of peace

Xi Jinping introduces himself as a man of peace in Moscow, whose role has been strengthened by reaching agreements and reconciling the fierce rivals of the region, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

In addition, the Chinese leader recently presented a 12-point peace plan to resolve the war between Russia and Ukraine, and after meeting with Putin, he will likely contact Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine.

John Kirby, spokesperson for the US Security Council, told CNN that if you go to Moscow and sit at a table with President Putin for three days and listen to his views on the war he started and may soon end, the least you should do is pick up the phone and call President Zelensky of Ukraine to hear his opinions and perspectives.

The pessimism in Washington, which can be said to some extent also affects Europe, stems from the doubt that Beijing is not a neutral actor in this conflict. For example, China’s peace plan regarding the withdrawal of Russian forces from occupied Ukrainian territories says nothing, but criticizes the sanctions and what it calls Western double standards, and covertly accuses NATO of provoking an attack on Moscow.

But for Xi Jinping, it is important to present himself as the only permanent member of the Security Council who is interested in peace and common prosperity, and this is the narrative that concerns the Americans.

Partners without borders

According to several observers, beyond these peace negotiations, this session is likely to lead to an increase in China’s support for Russia. Despite numerous internal and international challenges, the unlimited participation announced by the two leaders at the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022 still stands. The recent year has been a year of progress and further strengthening of bilateral trade and financial relations.

Therefore, while Europe is striving to become independent of Russian energy, China can purchase oil and gas at lower costs. Putin and Xi Jinping may soon announce their intention to expedite the construction of another gas pipeline, which will further unite and bring the two countries closer.

Additionally, supplying goods that Russia can no longer purchase from the West will be a profitable venture for Beijing and Chinese companies, who will certainly be cautious not to face Western sanctions. The growth of trade between Russia and China, especially in energy exports, will have positive repercussions in the financial sector, and both countries will likely continue their efforts to promote alternatives to the US dollar as a global currency.

The strategic rope is open.

While the relationship with Moscow may be an uncertain bond, relations with the West are also crucial for China’s economic prosperity and technological advancement. Even if Beijing has no hope of improving relations with the United States in the near future due to escalating tensions with Washington, it never wants to accelerate the breakdown of relations and lose access to Western technology, markets, and financial ties.

For this reason, China cannot unconditionally support Moscow or fulfill its requests for sending weapons, especially artillery shells and missiles. Last month, on the days when Beijing presented its peace plan, the United States warned China about providing deadly support and considering all aspects of this action.

And this is a sensitive point in the relationship between Moscow and Beijing, a painful point that indicates that some people are capable of weakening a friendship no matter how strong it is.

Gideon Rachman in the Financial Times says that the pictures of Xi Jinping and Putin together in Moscow send a clear message. Russia and China remain close partners, and this closeness is related to their common enmity with the United States and its allies.