Kremlin refutes reports about Xi Jinping's denial to visit Russia at Putin's request

On July 5, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that media reports about Chinese President Xi Jinping's alleged refusal to visit Russia are false. During a press conference, Peskov added that all scheduled trips will take place now that COVID-19 restrictions have been relaxed in China. The Chinese leader allegedly declined Russian President Vladimir Putin's invitation to visit Moscow earlier in the day because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to media reports.

The Kremlin spokesman told reporters, "No. This is not so. This is completely untrue. The fact is that certain COVID-19 restrictions continue to exist in China, and this is absolutely normal, and this should be treated with understanding. Putin has a valid invitation to visit China, and Xi Jinping — to visit Russia. And as the weakening of these restrictions allows, all visits will, certainly, take place."

While NATO does not regard China as an adversary, the 30-nation alliance's concern is growing about Beijing's closer ties with Russia and its President Vladimir Putin in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine. At a NATO summit on June 28, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance needed to engage with Beijing on issues such as climate change, and he acknowledged that China will soon be the world's largest economy.

Stoltenberg disappointed that China has not been able to condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine

However, the NATO chief added, "But we are disappointed by the fact that China has not been able to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, that China is spreading many of the false narratives about NATO, the West, and also that China and Russia are more close now than they have ever been before."

The remarks came after China and Russia presented a manifesto on the first day of the Winter Olympics on February 4 that was the most detailed and assertive statement of Russian and Chinese resolve to work together to build a new international order based on their respective views on human rights and democracy. In the document, China joined Russia in opposing NATO enlargement and backed its demand for Western security guarantees.

(With agency inputs)