Xi Jinping Arrives in Moscow... Begins 3-Day State Visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on the 20th (local time) for a 3-day state visit to Russia, TASS news agency reported.

On the same day, President Xi held an informal lunch with President Putin, and a formal meeting is scheduled for the 21st. During this visit, the two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral relations and major international and regional issues, including ways to resolve the Ukraine crisis.

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, explained at a briefing that the two leaders would exchange views on the Ukraine situation and discuss the statement China released last month proposing a solution to the Ukraine issue.

Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Photo by Yonhap News

On the 24th of last month, marking the first anniversary of the Ukraine war, China issued a statement titled "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis," urging Ukraine and Russia to resume dialogue and seek a ceasefire.

Additionally, reports suggest that after the summit with President Putin, President Xi is considering holding a video conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Earlier, Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described President Xi's visit to Russia as a "journey of peace," fueling expectations that Xi will strengthen his diplomatic presence through active mediation efforts.

As the war prolongs, attention is also focused on whether China will agree to provide weapons to Russia. Officially, China has drawn a line against arms support, but with worsening US-China relations and Xi’s first foreign visit after securing a third term as president being to Russia, there are speculations that the two countries might extend their anti-US alliance to include arms supplies.

In an article contributed to major media outlets of both countries on the same day, the two leaders sent a sharp message to the US, stating, "The harm caused by hegemonic, bullying, and coercive behavior is severe," and "The behavior of trying to suppress all countries that do not submit to US orders is becoming increasingly rampant."

However, since direct arms provision could irreparably damage China’s relations with the West, it is also anticipated that China might seek indirect routes through private transactions.