Russia announced on Sunday the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping from May 7 to 10 for the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory against Nazi Germany alongside his counterpart Vladimir Putin, with Moscow proposing a brief ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict on this occasion.
This visit, which highlights the alliance between Russia and China, also comes amid an ongoing trade confrontation between Beijing and Washington.
In a statement, the Russian presidency indicated that Xi Jinping will also participate in bilateral discussions on the "development of global partnership relations and strategic interaction" and on "current issues on the international and regional agenda."
"It is expected that a series of bilateral documents, between the governments and ministries (Russian and Chinese, ed.), will be signed," added the Kremlin.
Trade War
On Sunday, in comments broadcast on Chinese television, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized the historical and strategic ties between the two countries and added that Xi Jinping would meet with Mr. Putin while "the international order is currently undergoing profound adjustments."
"China and Russia will strengthen their close collaboration within multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the BRICS, unite the vast Global South, and guide global governance in the right direction," said the spokesperson.
According to him, Moscow and Beijing will also oppose "unilateralism and acts of intimidation" and "jointly promote an equal multipolar world" and "inclusive economic globalization."
These remarks refer to the trade war launched by the Trump administration against China.
Washington has imposed a 145% tariff on many Chinese products since April. Beijing, which has denounced any "unilateral intimidation" in international trade, responded by imposing 125% tariffs on goods imported from the United States.
Victory Parade
Regarding historical symbols, the Chinese spokesperson reminded that Beijing and Moscow had made "gigantic joint sacrifices" to defeat the Axis during World War II.
In addition to Mr. Xi, leaders from around twenty countries are expected to attend the May 9 military parade in Red Square, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Moscow's traditional allies.
These celebrations are at the heart of the Kremlin's patriotic narrative, which insists that the ongoing conflict against Ukraine is an extension of the one against Nazi Germany.
Vladimir Putin has proposed a ceasefire with Kyiv from May 8 to 10, during the commemorations, while separate talks between Moscow and Kyiv, mediated by Washington, have been ongoing for more than two months and have so far failed to yield results in finding a resolution to the conflict triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Without explicitly rejecting the three-day ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Friday that Kyiv could not guarantee the safety of international leaders traveling to Moscow on those dates.
In Ukraine, the announcement of the ceasefire was seen by observers as a way to prevent Ukrainian strikes that could disrupt the ceremonies.
China presents itself as a neutral party and a potential mediator in the Ukraine conflict, but it remains a key political and economic ally of Russia, to the point that Western countries have labeled it a "decisive enabler" of Russia's assault – which Beijing has never condemned.
Chinese authorities are also accused of helping Moscow circumvent Western sanctions by enabling it to acquire the technological components needed for its armament production for the war.
AFP
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