MOSCOW: Xi Jinping hailed his landmark visit to Moscow on Monday as giving “new momentum” to Chinese-Russian ties ahead of talks with Vladimir Putin on Beijing’s proposals to stop the fighting in Ukraine.
The summit between the Russian president and the Chinese leader comes as China seeks to portray itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict.
Landing at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport, Xi was greeted by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko on a red carpet as a military brass band played the countries’ anthems, Russian state media showed.
“I am confident the visit will be fruitful and give new momentum to the healthy and stable development of Chinese-Russian relations,” Xi was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying shortly after landing.
“In a world of volatility and transformation, China will continue to work with Russia to safeguard the international system with the UN at its core,” he said.
Xi described China and Russia as “good neighbours” and “reliable partners” and said the two would work together to defend “true multilateralism”.
The two leaders are due to discuss China’s 12-point position paper on the Ukraine conflict, which includes a call for dialogue and respect for all countries’ territorial sovereignty.
“One way or another, issues raised in plan for Ukraine will be touched upon during the negotiations. Comprehensive explanations will be given by President Putin” of the Russian position, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Putin and Xi are set to have an “informal” one-on-one meeting and dinner.
Putin has welcomed Beijing’s statements on Ukraine as being indicative of a willingness to play a “constructive role” in ending the conflict.
A day before Xi’s arrival, a defiant Putin went to the Russian-held Ukrainian city of Mariupol — his first visit to territory captured from Kyiv since Moscow’s forces pushed across the border in February 2022.
Beijing said on Monday the ICC should avoid what it called “politicisation and double standards” and respect the principle of immunity for heads of state.
The court should “uphold an objective and impartial stance” and “respect the immunity of heads of state from jurisdiction under international law”, foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing.
The solution to the Ukraine conflict, he added, remained “dialogue and negotiation”.
Beijing and Moscow have drawn closer in recent years under a partnership that has served as a diplomatic bulwark against the West.
“No single country should dictate the international order,” Xi wrote in a Russian newspaper article published on Monday.
“China has all along upheld an objective and impartial position based on the merits of the issue, and actively promoted peace talks,” he added. — AFP
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