Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Arrives in China to Further Cooperation Amid Ongoing War in Ukraine

Beijing: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Beijing Monday to display strength of ties with close diplomatic partner China amid Moscow’s grinding war against Ukraine and an ongoing effort to align ir foreign policies against US and its allies. two continent-sized authoritarian states, increasingly in dispute with democracies and NATO, seek to gain influence in Africa, Middle East and South America.

China has backed Russia’s claim that President Vlimir Putin launched his assault in 2022 because of Western provocations, without producing any solid evidence.

Agenda for visit and Chinese stance towards Ukraine war

Russian state news agency Tass said ministers would “discuss situation in Ukraine and Asia-Pacific region, issues of bilateral cooperation and interaction in international arena,” quoting Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

Lavrov is expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, who has visited Russia during conflict and maintained China's line of not dubbing Russian war in Ukraine an invasion.

China has at times taken an equally combative tone against US and its allies. China and Russia have held joint military drills, and are seen as seeking to supplant democracies with dictatorships in areas where y wield influence.

Despite its clear backing of Russia in Ukraine war, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters Monday that “China has an objective and fair position on Ukraine issue.”

“We have been actively promoting peace talks and political solutions. China is not a creator or party to Ukraine crisis, and we have not and will not do anything to profit from it,” Mao told reporters at a daily briefing.

China has also said it wasn't providing Russia with arms or military assistance, although it has maintained robust economic connections with Moscow, alongside India and or countries.

Just weeks before Russia inved Ukraine, Putin visited Beijing for opening of 2022 Winter Olympics and sides signed a pact pledging a “no limits” relationship that has China supporting Russia's line, even while formally urging peace talks.

“We have always controlled export of dual-use items in accordance with law,” Mao said, referring to industrial items that can be used for both industrial or military purposes, such as drones.

“ relevant country should not smear or attack normal relations between China and Russia,” Mao said. “ relevant country” was a reference to US, Russia and China’s chief geopolitical rival.

Growing strain in US-China ties 

In a phone call last week with Chinese leer Xi Jinping, US President Joseph Biden pressed China over its defense relationship with Russia, which is seeking to rebuild its industrial base as it continues its invasion of Ukraine.

And he called on Beijing to wield its influence over North Korea to rein in isolated and erratic nuclear power.

ding to tension between two countries, US lawmakers generated new legislation that would ban TikTok, popular social media application, if its China-based owner ByteDance doesn’t sell its stakes in platform within six months of bill’s enactment.

Lawmakers are concerned Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over data on 170 million Americans who use TikTok.

All Chinese firms, especially those in social media sphere, are obligated to hand over user data to government.

Lavrov's visit also coincides with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who on Monday wrapped up four days of talks with Chinese officials and said in Beijing y h “difficult conversations” about national security, including American concerns that Chinese companies are supporting Russia in its war in Ukraine.

Yellen also said Biden ministration will push China to change an industrial policy that poses a threat to US jobs.