Full-Scale Diplomacy Begins After SCO Summit
China and Russia Hold Summit in Beijing
Key Issues Include Ukraine War and Countering the US
"Full-scale summit diplomacy begins now."
On September 2, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported on the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating this. If the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) served as a "showcase stage" demonstrating the strength of over 20 countries critical of the US-led order, the meeting between the two leaders marks the start of genuine diplomatic engagement.
According to TASS, Nikkei, and other sources, the two leaders are holding a summit today to focus on bilateral issues. After concluding the SCO summit in Tianjin the previous day, President Putin traveled to Beijing by car. Russian media outlet RBC reported that Putin's motorcade entered the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, the official guest residence in China. Unlike his 2018 visit to China, when he used a high-speed train, President Putin chose to travel by car this time.
While China and Russia previously limited themselves to presenting common themes at the SCO, this bilateral summit is expected to address sensitive issues in earnest, including the war in Ukraine, Western sanctions, and checks against the United States. In addition to the summit between the two leaders, a closed-door meeting with only a few key figures such as foreign and defense ministers is also scheduled.
Nikkei analyzed, "With US President Donald Trump raising the possibility of secondary tariffs on countries like China that import Russian crude oil, this summit is expected to focus on expanding China-Russia trade and China's involvement in Ukraine as major agenda items."
Previously, Russia stated that there had been certain "understandings" at the Alaska meeting with President Trump, but subsequent peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have stalled with no progress. Instead, at the SCO summit, President Putin pointed to Western intervention as the cause of the war in Ukraine, emphasizing, "The root cause must be eliminated to resolve the crisis," and stressing that the key to a solution lies in Europe. This signals that Russia will not move without changes from Europe.
As Russia maintained a non-cooperative stance, President Trump warned on the 22nd of last month, "If there is no progress in peace talks within two weeks, we will consider large-scale sanctions, tariffs, or both as economic retaliation," putting pressure on Russia.
As the US continues to wield tariffs as a weapon of unilateralism, China-Russia relations have grown even closer. At the SCO summit, President Xi proposed a global governance initiative based on respect for international law, strengthening multilateralism, and opposing hegemony. President Putin strongly supported this, stating, "The SCO will become the center for building a fairer and more multipolar international order." This is seen as a response to US-centric trade and diplomatic actions and suggests that China and Russia will form a joint front to counter the United States.
The special train carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is also expected to arrive in Beijing this afternoon, the day before the Victory Day celebrations. This marks Kim's first visit to China in six years and eight months since January 2019. He is scheduled to attend the 80th anniversary Victory Day military parade in Beijing on the 3rd alongside President Putin. While North Korea-Russia relations have grown stronger due to North Korea's military support for the war in Ukraine, relations with China have comparatively cooled. In this context, Kim faces the task of restoring ties with both China and Russia on multiple fronts. Reuters pointed out that restoring relations with China, North Korea's largest trading partner and aid provider, is a key objective for Kim.
The international community is focused on whether a North Korea-China-Russia summit will take place. North Korea experts are paying attention to the possibility of Kim holding a bilateral summit with President Xi, or even a trilateral summit with both President Putin and President Xi. While each of the three leaders has held bilateral summits before, a three-way summit has never been held. Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Kremlin, told TASS on the 29th of last month, "We are considering a meeting with Chairman Kim."
AP reported, "This parade could mark Kim Jong Un's first participation in a multilateral summit-level event in his 14 years in power, and the first time all three leaders-Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin-gather in one place." However, it added that it has not been confirmed whether a separate trilateral summit will be held.
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