Washington:
In President Vladimir Putin and Russia, Chinese President Xi Jinping sees a “counterweight” to US and NATO influence on the continent and elsewhere in the world, the White House said.
The statement from John Kirby, the National Security Council’s strategic communications coordinator at the White House, came as Putin welcomed his Chinese counterpart Xi to the red carpet in Moscow and held two days of marathon talks on a range of issues, including the raging war. in Ukraine.
“I think over the years you’ve seen these two countries grow towards each other. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it an alliance. … (it’s) a marriage of convenience because that’s what I think that it is In President Putin and Russia, President Xi sees a counterbalance to US influence and NATO influence, certainly on the continent and elsewhere in the world,” Kirby told reporters at a daily press conference here on Tuesday.
“In President Xi, President Putin sees a potential lender here. This is a man who doesn’t have many friends on the international stage. They can usually count them on one hand. He really needs President Xi’s support and wants it for what he trying to do because he’s blowing through the inventory,” he said.
In recent weeks, China appeared to be positioning itself as a peace broker, abandoning its stance on a “political solution” to the conflict and calling for a ceasefire and peace talks.
Xi’s visit to Moscow came days after China struck a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, regarded as a diplomatic coup, to end hostilities between the two countries and restore diplomatic ties. The deal was considered a major achievement for China in expanding its global reach and countering US influence, especially in the Middle East.
“I don’t think you can reasonably think of China as impartial in any way. They didn’t condemn this during this invasion. They didn’t stop buying Russian oil and Russian energy,” Kirby said when asked if the US has an impartial stance on the war in Ukraine.
Referring to the joint statement following the Putin-Xi meetings, Kirby noted that regarding Ukraine, the two sides have just said that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be observed and international law must be respected.
“Well, we agree. Following the UN charter would mean Russia would have to withdraw from all territory within Ukraine, the territory of another UN member state, a member it has invaded,” he said .
“The UN Charter enshrines the principles of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine,” he said.
“They also said: the parties are calling for an end to all steps that contribute to escalating tensions and prolonging hostilities. Well, we agree,” Kirby said.
“One way to stop hostilities is to withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine. But apart from that, Mr. Putin could stop bombing hospitals, he could stop bombing schools, he could stop launching Iranian drones in civilian infrastructure, deporting young children, thousands, putting them in filter camps in other places in Ukraine, but also in Russia,” Kirby said.
A day earlier, Kirby said that Russia is now a junior partner of China. “Do you currently consider Russia to be a puppet state of China?” he was asked.
“I would say there — in that particular bilateral relationship, they are definitely the junior partner,” Kirby said.
In response to another question, Kirby said the US doesn’t think China has brushed off deadly aid to Russia, but they haven’t moved in that direction. “We have seen no indication that they are about to deliver lethal weapons,” he said.
Meanwhile, China said on Wednesday that President Xi’s just concluded state visit to Russia was a “journey of friendship, cooperation and peace”. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China was neutral in the conflict with Ukraine and reiterated that Beijing “had no selfish motives regarding the Ukraine issue, has not stood idly by … or taken the opportunity made to profit himself”.
“What China has done boils down to one word, which is to promote peace talks,” Wang said in response to a question at a daily briefing.
“President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia is a journey of friendship, cooperation and peace, which has generated a positive response in the international community,” Wang said.
China would “continue to play a constructive role in advancing a political settlement of the Ukrainian issue,” the spokesman said, a clear reference to a 12-point peace proposal from Beijing calling for a ceasefire and negotiations.
In their joint statement, China and Russia expressed serious concern about the continued strengthening of NATO’s military security ties with countries in Asia and the Pacific, which undermines regional peace and stability.
It said the two sides oppose merging a closed and exclusive bloc structure in the Asia-Pacific region, creating bloc politics and camp confrontation, in a clear reference to the Quad alliance comprising the US, India, Australia, Japan and AUKUS, consisting of Australia, UK and US.
Both sides note that the United States is sticking to the Cold War mindset and pursuing the Indo-Pacific strategy, negatively impacting peace and stability in the region, they said.
China and Russia are committed to building an equal, open and inclusive security system in the Asia-Pacific region that does not target third countries, to maintain regional peace, stability and prosperity.
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