Chinese President Xi Jinping extended congratulations to Vladimir Putin on his election victory on Monday, praising the Russian president’s role in advancing progress as the relationship between Moscow and Beijing strengthens.
Putin’s reelection, reported by state media as a historic landslide victory, occurred without significant competition, positioning him to potentially become the longest-serving Russian leader in over two centuries.
Their enduring friendship notwithstanding, both Putin and Xi have defied traditional political norms to secure remarkably lengthy tenures in power.
In a congratulatory message relayed by Beijing’s state broadcaster CCTV, Xi conveyed to Putin that his reelection “fully reflects the support of the Russian people for you.”
“I believe that under your leadership, Russia will be able to achieve greater achievements in national development and construction,” Xi remarked.
In response, Putin lauded Beijing on Monday, expressing confidence that “in the coming years we will only strengthen and build up our relations,” as reported by the Russian state news agency TASS.
“The most important thing is the coincidence of state interests. This creates a very good tone for solving common problems in the field of international relations,” Putin reportedly emphasized.
As Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has stirred turmoil in Moscow’s relations with Western nations, ties between Beijing and Moscow have notably strengthened.
China’s refusal to condemn Russia’s attack on its European neighbor has been conspicuous, with Beijing advocating for peace negotiations and a general cessation of hostilities.
Western nations have contended that this stance has provided Putin with crucial political and diplomatic shielding to pursue an unjustified war of aggression.
Once socialist allies, China and Russia weathered a tumultuous relationship during the last century but have subsequently grown closer, with their friendship now symbolizing a counterbalance to the US-led West.
Both sides portray their alliance as a partnership of equals and a model for other nations to follow. Beijing’s foreign minister recently lauded “a new paradigm for major power relations,” contrasting it sharply with the Cold War era.
Wang Yi emphasized that the relationship is founded on principles of non-alignment, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of third parties during annual political meetings in Beijing.
Wang Yiwei, a professor of international studies at Beijing’s Renmin University of China, emphasized that the partnership signifies more than just the absence of conflict between China and Russia. He explained that it also entails refraining from forming alliances to confront other entities, such as NATO.
According to Wang, the two nations uphold a form of strategic collaboration aimed at advancing common interests, such as promoting a multipolar world and ensuring global strategic stability across the Eurasian continent.
However, Ja Ian Chong, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, argues that the partnership between China and Russia is not as evenly balanced in practice as it may seem.
He suggests that in this “new paradigm,” China holds a senior position while Russia plays a subordinate role. Chong emphasizes that while neither Moscow nor Beijing has a firm alliance commitment to each other, they cooperate to some extent, particularly in countering what they perceive as efforts by the United States to undermine their interests.
Although China denies directly supplying arms to Russia for its actions in Ukraine, Western powers accuse Beijing of indirectly supporting Moscow’s military endeavors through various means.
According to a US intelligence report released last month, Beijing’s support for Russia includes assistance to its defense industry by providing dual-use materials and components.
Recent joint naval exercises involving Chinese and Russian warships, along with Iran, further highlight the deepening ties between Beijing and Moscow, as well as their alignment against Western interests.
Russian news agencies cited Moscow’s defense ministry, stating that the purpose of the joint naval drills with Iran was to “work out the safety of maritime economic activity.”
Commenting on the significance of these drills, Ja Ian Chong remarked that they demonstrate how Moscow and Beijing can collaborate with other nations to complicate US interests.
Trade between China and Russia reached record levels last year, as reported by official customs figures. Chong noted that bilateral commerce plays a crucial role in sustaining the Russian economy, especially amidst Western sanctions.
He further explained that this economic cooperation likely helps divert attention away from China’s activities in Asia, thus reducing pressure from the United States and its allies. In return for its economic support, China benefits from access to affordable fossil fuels and essential military technologies from Russia.
