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HONG Chinese President Xi Jinping departed Moscow on Wednesday after two days of highly symbolic meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which the two presented a united front and an alternative vision for global leadership.
Much of the summit seemed to be directed at countering narratives from the United States, NATO and other nations that have stood against Putin’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine more than a year ago.
Despite statements saying that „China-Russia relations are not the kind of military-political alliance during the Cold War,“ China and Russia made clear they wanted to „advance the trend toward a multi-polar world.“
„This highly publicized summit may reflect a shift towards a new and more active role for China, as it seizes the opportunity to convey diplomatic — and possibly tangible — support for Russia and any other state that wishes to defy the West,“ Michael Butler, associate professor of political science at Clark University, .
Joint animosity towards the U.S.-led world order has kept Russia and China close despite Putin’s war in Ukraine and western sanctions against Russia has made China their biggest customer and economic lifeline.
Russia became energy-hungry China’s top oil supplier in January and February, supplanting Saudi Arabia. China’s nationalist tabloid Global Times hailing energy a „ballast stone“ in the two nations‘ trade relationship.
During their meetings, Putin committed to deliver at least 98 billion cubic meters of liquified gas annually to China by 2030 which is six times higher that they sold China last year but still below what Russia used to deliver to Europe.
Ahead of the summit, White House Spokesperson John Kirby dismissed the warming China-Russia ties as „marriage of convenience,“ but said it stands in stark contrast to Beijing’s increasingly frosty relationship with Washington.
