Vladimir Putin invites China's Xi Jinping to make state visit to Russia next Spring

Chinese Premier Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are currently in a meeting that is underway via video conference in the face of an extending war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 outbreak in China. The meeting planned for Friday was broadcast by Russian television in which Putin invited Xi to visit Moscow next spring. He added that the two countries would strengthen cooperation between their armed forces, and pointed to growth in trade despite “unfavorable market conditions.” Bilateral relations are “the best in history, and withstand all tests,” he said. “We share the same views on the causes, course and logic of the ongoing transformation of the global geopolitical landscape," reported Sputnik.

With Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the former has become highly isolated on the world stage as the US-led western bloc has hit the country with numerous sanctions, prompting Moscow and Beijing to come even more closer. Even though China has made sure that there is no direct involvement in the Moscow-Kyiv conflict, on the public stage, China has refused to condemn the conflict and has criticised NATO and the US for its 'hypocritical' approach. Putin and Xi are known to have a "no limits" partnership, having grown close diplomatically in recent years.

"I have no doubt that we will find an opportunity to meet with you in person. We are waiting for you, dear Mr. Chairman, dear friend, we are waiting for you to come next spring with a state visit to Moscow," Putin told Xi during the video call. This visit will demonstrate to the world the strength of Russian-Chinese ties on key issues and become the main political event of the year in bilateral relations, Putin added. Putin is pegged to discuss bilateral relations, regional problems, including those near Russian and Chinese borders with Xi in the video call, most of which will not be made public and will be held in close format.

Russia-China trade to grow by 25%: Putin

The leaders of Russia and China, in the video call, set a bilateral trade goal to $200 billion by 2024, which is double from the $100 billion mark they had set in 2018.

Despite the intimidation by some Western countries, trade between Russia and China will grow by about 25% by the end of 2022, and the $200 billion level will be reached ahead of schedule, reported Sputnik quoting Putin during the talks with Xi Jinping.  “Despite the unfavorable external conditions, illegitimate restrictions and direct intimidation by some countries of the West, Russia and China managed to secure record growth rates of mutual trade. By the end of the year, it will increase by 25%. Under such a dynamic, we will be able to reach the $200 billion target mark set by us for 2024 ahead of schedule,” Putin said in the video call.

China is ready to build up strategic cooperation with Russia and be global partners for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries and in the interests of world stability against the backdrop of a difficult international situation, Chinese President Xi Jinping said. "In the face of a difficult, far from unambiguous international situation, we are ready to build up strategic cooperation, provide each other with opportunities for development, be global partners for the benefit of the peoples of our countries and in the interests of stability throughout the world," Xi told during the video call, as broadcasted by the Russian TV channel.

Xi growing uneasy over the war in Ukraine?

Putin and Xi last met in Uzbekistan in September but now both the leaders are facing major issues in their countries. Putin's war in Ukraine entered its 11th month with no solution in sight while China faces a devastating Covid wave that has crippled its healthcare system. Even though Moscow and Beijing had discussed a "no limits" partnership in February this year against influence by western countries, less than two weeks after that Russia invaded Ukraine forcing China to step back for the time being. 

Apart from continuing to purchase oil from Russia, Beijing has never condemned the 10-month-old conflict and it has not provided Russia direct support such as arms or helped it with US and European sanctions. Experts have noted that Beijing and Moscow were expected to drive a wedge between Western allies, but the war has instead moved the United States and Europe closer together. The Russian invasion in Ukraine has also put a spotlight on the Taiwan-China issue. 

Xi spoke with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev last week during his visit to Beijing.  China hopes all parties in the Ukraine conflict will maintain restraint and resolve security concerns through political means, Xi said to Medevev. The Chinese government in its statement said that the ‘crisis’ in Ukraine “is very complicated”. “China has always decided its position and policies according to the merits of the matter itself, adhered to an objective and impartial position, and actively persuaded peace talks,” the brief released by the Chinese government said. 

It is however not an option of Xi to drop Putin as an ally in their competition against the United States-led western bloc. Economic crises in Europe have directly led to huge losses to the Chinese export market. Xi has already received international condemnation for this handling of the coronavirus as infections surged moments after he lifted the stringent zero-Covid policy following massive protests by Chinese citizens.