Xi Returns To World Stage With Putin To Counter US Dominance
In almost 1,000 days since the last Xi Jinping that wandered abroad, China has found itself increasingly isolated in the world order led by the US. He finally reappeared this week with Vladimir Putin Russia to show his vision for a decent alternative.
Xi and Putin on Thursday will hold their first direct meeting since Russia invaded Ukraine, according to Kremlin, in a sign that Beijing saw that the relationship was important to fight the US. This will happen in between a security forum founded by China in Uzbekistan which gathered countries from India to Iran -grouping aimed at accelerating the formation of the multipolar world.
Before that, Xi on Wednesday will stop at Kazakhstan, where he launched what will be a belt trading and infrastructure plan and the streets of nine years ago. The foreign policy initiative has become the focal point of the US and its allies in group seven, which in June announced plans to collect $ 600 billion in financing so that low-income countries have an alternative for Chinese cash.
Both stops will strengthen XI’s vision of the world where China can expand its interests without fear of the threat of economic or military pressure from the US. Chinese leaders will describe the agenda at the party congress twice a decade next month, where he is expected to get the third term as the second largest economic leader in the world.
Xi Jinping is trying to re-direct global affairs in the direction that makes Western institutions and promote the grouping and institutions that are more beneficial for the interests and views of the Chinese world,” said Trey Mcarver, one of the founders of the Chinese Trivium Research Company. Xi’s meeting with Putin, he added, “Sending a very clear signal that China continues to tilt to the Russian side in the conflict.”
The stakes rose for Xi and Putin, who stated the friendship “no limitations” only a few weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine in February. In recent days, Putin had seen Ukraine pushing back Russian troops and reclaiming large land, while XI had been under pressure to adopt stronger steps to prevent Taiwan from increasing relations with the US and its allies.
China has so far avoided doing whatever will make him become US sanctions or help Russia win the war, even when Beijing gives diplomatic support and increasing trade with northern neighbors. China’s interest in helping Russia seems more intended to refute the US movement which one day can also be used to fight Beijing.
In an article published in the Kazakh newspaper, Xi said that the two countries must “together encourage international orders that are more just and more just.” Chinese diplomat, Yang Jechi used a similar language in a meeting earlier this week with the Russian ambassador who came out Andrey Denisov.
China has not stepped up to supply Russia with weapons or sophisticated electronics during the war,” said Iikka Korhonen, head of research at the Bank of Finland Institute for Economies in transition. “They are aware that they do not violate this action, at least not in a clear way, so there are limits on what is called the allies ready to be done.”
Moscow has tried to wet the support of China for war. Last week released a statement quoting Li Zhanshu, official No. 3 China, telling members of the Russian Parliament that Beijing leaders “fully understand the need for all the steps taken by Russia which aims to protect their main interests, we provide our assistance.”
Russia and China will increase efforts to fight the expansion of NATO and campaigns led by the US to keep the two countries under control, Li also said, according to the Tass News Agency. “We will fight with their hegemony and strength policies,” he quoted him. The comment was not reported by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs or government media.
Similar sentiments will likely be revealed at the Shanghai cooperation organization meeting. This group, which will meet 15 and 16 September in the city of Samarkand Uzbek Southeast, contributes 42 percent of the world population and 25 percent of the global gross domestic product.
Appearance by XI in the forum will strengthen alternative ideas for US strength which includes western strength such as India and Turkey, according to Raffaello Pantucci, a senior at the S. Rajaratnam International Study School in Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. India has moved closer to the US in recent years, especially through quad grouping which also includes Australia and Japan.
Although SCO is more symbolism than substance, economic bonds in groups are very important. When inflation jumped throughout the world, Russia is a cheap source of energy for members like India.
China’s trade relations with Moscow have developed despite US sanctions since the war: Russian exports to China jumped almost 50 percent to $ 40.8 billion in the first five months of this year, IMF data showed. That includes a large increase in oil and gas.
Putin aims to use talks with XI to expand further trade with China and to get more industrial and technology imports to fill the holes left by the absence of Western goods due the higher economic school. Exports of cars, televisions and Chinese smartphones have all helped Russia fill the void when the foreign brand escapes.
China is sourced from almost 40 percent of coal imports from Russia this year because the authorities are calculated with the domestic energy crisis, up from around 30 percent over the same period last year, according to Customs data. China has also grabbed a delivery of Russian liquid gas to large discounts because most other importers avoid fuel. LNG delivery in August jumped to the highest level in about two years, according to ship tracking data.
Politically, visits to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan also allowed a comfortable environment to return to the international stage ahead of the 20th group in Bali in November. Xi prioritizes involvement with “friends and partners” rather than letting the G-20 meeting become his first visit since Covid Lockdown, according to Steve Tsang, Director of the China Institute at the Soas University of London.
China and XI can effectively establish an agenda for this visit, something they cannot be sure of the G20 Summit,” he said. “Involved with the US and the West is not seen as important.”
