China’s Xi meets with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in show of support against Western democracies

BEIJING – Chinese chief Xi Jinping met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Tuesday in an indication of mutual support and shared opposition to Western democracies amid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

“We would like to express our highest appreciation and admiration for the successes that you have achieved over the years and, above all, over the last decade under your leadership,” Lavrov told Xi, according to Russian media.

“We are sincerely pleased with these successes, since these are the successes of friends, although not everyone in the world shares this attitude and are trying in every possible way to restrain the development of China — in fact just like the development of Russia,” Lavrov stated.

Russia’s rising financial and diplomatic isolation has made it increasingly more reliant on China, its former rival for management of the Communist bloc throughout the Cold War. In previous many years, the 2 have intently aligned their international insurance policies, held joint army workout routines and sought to rally non-aligned states in groupings such because the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Lavrov held a news convention previous Tuesday with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at which they reaffirmed harmony in global affairs.

Lavrov stated Russia and China oppose any global occasions that don’t take Russia’s place into consideration.

He stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “so-called peace formula” was once “completely detached from any realities.”

Zelensky has known as for the withdrawal of Russian forces and the go back of all occupied Ukrainian territory, however is closely reliant on support from the U.S., the place the Republican Party majority in the House of Representatives has been preserving up a brand new army assist package deal.

China and Russia are each and every others maximum essential diplomatic companions, each preserving everlasting seats at the United Nations safety council and dealing in combination to dam projects via the U.S. and its allies to unfold democratic values and human rights from Venezuela to Syria.

While China has no longer equipped direct army support for Russia, it has sponsored it diplomatically in blaming the West for scary Russian President Vladimir Putin’s resolution to release the struggle and avoided calling it an invasion in deference to the Kremlin. China has additionally stated it’s not offering Russia with hands or army help, even supposing it has maintained powerful economic connections with Moscow, along India and different international locations. amid sanctions from Washington and its allies.

At their joint news convention Wang repeated China’s requires a ceasefire and “an end to the war soon.”

“China supports the convening at an appropriate time of an international meeting that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, in which all parties can participate equally and discuss all peace solutions fairly,” Wang said.

China’s peace proposal has found little traction, in part due to the country’s continuing support for Russia and lack of vision for what a future resolution would look like, particularly the fate of occupied Ukrainian territories and their residents.

Wang also said Xi and Putin would continue to maintain close exchanges this year amid expectations of visits to each other’s capitals.

“China and Russia have gone through ups and downs, and both sides have drawn lessons from historical experience and found a correct path to promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations,” Wang said. “Today’s good relations between China and Russia are hard-won and deserve to be cherished and carefully maintained by both sides.”

Lavrov arrived in China on Monday, whilst Wang and different main Chinese figures have not too long ago visited Russia and maintained China’s line of in large part backing Russia’s perspectives at the motive of the battle.

China has now and then taken an similarly combative tone against the U.S. and its allies. China and Russia have held joint army drills, and are observed as in quest of to supplant democracies with dictatorships in spaces the place they wield affect. China is concerned in its personal territorial disputes, in particular over the self-governing island of Taiwan and in the South China and East China Seas.

Just weeks earlier than Russia invaded Ukraine, Putin visited Beijing for the hole of the 2022 Winter Olympics and the edges signed a pact pledging a “no limits” dating that has China supporting Russia’s line, even whilst officially urging peace talks.

In a telephone name remaining week with Chinese chief Xi Jinping, U.S. President Joseph Biden pressed China over its protection dating with Russia, which is looking for to rebuild its commercial base because it continues its invasion of Ukraine. And he known as on Beijing to wield its affect over North Korea to rein in the remoted and erratic nuclear energy.