How was Putin's visit to China? Analysis

Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Beijing came less than a week after the meeting between the leaders of the United States and China. Despite attempts by the Western press to portray this fact as a lowering of Russian relations with China, the comparison of the two summits turned out not to be in favor of the United States. What Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on and what reaction this meeting caused in the West is described in Izvestia.

For cooperation

• Russia and China have signed a joint declaration on the formation of a multipolar world and a new type of international relations. In the Chinese academic community, the main achievement of the parties after three decades of partnership was considered a new model of great power coexistence — without confrontation and the conclusion of military alliances directed against third countries. These principles can become the basis of a multipolar world if they can be extended to other interstate relations. This contrasted with China's warning expressed during US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing last week that escalating rivalry between the powers could lead to conflict (we wrote more about the outcome of the summit of the leaders of the United States and China here).

• The leaders of Russia and China have extended the Agreement on Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, which was concluded 25 years ago: Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Russian-Chinese relations have reached an unprecedented level and do not depend on the situation in the world. Vladimir Putin's trip to China was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the treaty, despite attempts by the Western press to present it as a reaction to Donald Trump's visit to Beijing on May 13-15. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which grew out of the Shanghai Five in 1996.

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• According to Moscow, most of the agreements with Beijing are aimed at the economy. The composition of the Russian delegation itself speaks about which areas of cooperation could be discussed during the visit. In addition to the five deputy prime ministers, it included the ministers of Foreign Affairs, economy and Finance, culture, agriculture, construction and housing, transport, education and science, heads of the Central Bank of Russia and major banks, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Roscosmos, Rosatom, Rosneft and Gazprom, as well as representatives of large Russian businesses..

• Following the meeting, interstate documents and commercial agreements were signed. In particular, on May 21, the Russian Direct Investment Fund intends to announce new agreements with China in the field of satellite production and launch, joint investments with the SCO countries and the implementation of complex infrastructure projects. The joint statement says about the implementation of the construction projects of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant and the Xudapu Nuclear Power Plant, which are carried out by Rosatom. Russia and China will continue cooperation in the field of education and tourism, and an agreement on media cooperation between the countries has also been signed. Visa-free entry to China for Russian citizens has been extended until the end of 2027. Russia has made a similar decision on the entry of Chinese citizens.

• The parties expressed their intention to strengthen cooperation in the defense sector and expand the practice of joint military exercises, air and sea patrols. This may be an alarming signal for European countries that are trying to prevent the free passage of Russian vessels on the Northern Sea Route and in the Baltic region. Russia and China have also agreed on a joint response to challenges and threats.

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• One of the objectives of the meeting was to coordinate the technical details of the Power of Siberia-2 project. At the same time, supplies via the first branch of the Power of Siberia gas pipeline in 2025 even exceeded the design capacity of 38 billion cubic meters, meaning China's demand for Russian fuel is not decreasing. The reason why Beijing is delaying the construction decision may lie in the desire to bargain for a more favorable gas price, but conditions are not in its favor right now: due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the need for Russian energy resources has increased, as has the price of them, and therefore significant discounts from Russia are unlikely to be achieved.

On Iran, Ukraine and international relations

The leaders of Russia and China planned to discuss the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran in an informal setting. But during the official meeting, Beijing called for an immediate cessation of all hostilities in the Middle East region. The same position was previously voiced by Chinese President Xi Jinping at a meeting with US President Donald Trump. The joint statement by Russia and China notes the intensification of geopolitical rivalry on the world stage and the growth of international tension fueled by the "aggressive policies of a number of states," and also explicitly states that the actions of the United States and Israel in Iran violate international law.

• The joint statement also criticized the punitive and discriminatory measures taken by some States against others, contrary to international law. Special emphasis is placed on sanctions that are not supported by the UN Security Council — here we can talk about the financial and trade embargoes that the United States imposed against Iran unilaterally, as well as anti-Russian sanctions. The inadmissibility of secondary restrictions is also emphasized. The parties expressed concern about the violation of the sovereignty of countries in Latin America and the militarization of the United States and its allies in the Arctic.

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• The communique following the summit also declares cooperation in the fight against the glorification of fascism, the denial of genocide and the spread of destructive ideologies, as well as attempts to distort the history of the Second World War. This fragment reflects the attitude of the parties to the situation in Ukraine, where the glorification of fascism is supported at the state level. According to the joint statement, China opposes interference in Russia's internal affairs and is concerned about the militarization of the European Union.

• In general, the document indicates that the modern world order is in crisis due to the hegemony of the West and its violation of international law in attempts to forcibly change regimes from the outside, through illegal sanctions and reliance on the right of the strong. The parties adhere to the principle of indivisibility of security, agree on the need to eliminate the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis, that is, first of all, the expansion of NATO to the east, and urge to seek a solution and restore order in international relations through dialogue. They also stressed their commitment to the "one China" principle.

• The leaders of Russia and China also supported the policy of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, especially amid signs of nuclear buildup from Japan and interest in expanding the nuclear arsenal in Europe. Moscow and Beijing also stated that the immunity of heads of state from criminal prosecution abroad is a guarantee of stability in international relations.

Western reaction

• The Western press drew attention to the fact that Russia and China criticized the American project of the Golden Dome missile defense system and the idea of deploying weapons in space, and warned of the risk of international diplomacy returning to the "law of the jungle", where the right of the strong operates. The foreign press highlights the fact that the countries have not announced any breakthrough in the implementation of the Power of Siberia-2 project: Beijing has not made any statements about the fate of the pipeline, and Russia has reported that a common understanding of the project parameters has been reached.

• Journalists compared the meeting of the leaders of Russia and China with Trump's previous visit to Beijing. The comparison was not in favor of the American leader. Although the presidents of the United States and Russia were greeted with the same pomp, Russia is significantly ahead of the United States in concluding agreements, since no joint statement was made following the meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, and according to preliminary data, about 40 documents were signed during the Russian-Chinese summit and a detailed joint communique was issued, which indicates agreement. leaders on many key issues of geopolitics and bilateral cooperation.