"Hand in Hand," Xi and Putin Show a United Front
Authoritarian Leaders Xi and Putin Plan Joint Cooperation
Get ready for some international bonding, folks! As we commemorate overcoming Nazi Germany, Xi Jinping, our beloved Chinese prez, graces Moscow with his presence. There, alongside his Russian counterpart, the one and only Vladimir Putin, these boys pledged their allegiance — sending a message to Uncle Sam about their fondness for unity in the face of "bullying" from the States. You know, that tactic where a nation pursues its goals irrespective of international partners and organizations? Yeah, they're not too fond of that.
But what's a military parade without a united China and Russia? That's right, these guys are sticking together "despite global uncertainty and a tricky geopolitical landscape," according to Putin. Both leaders agreed it was a "win-win" situation, emphasizing an "equal footing" partnership. They both left the talks feeling like they'd just shared a pool of fruit wine with their bestie.
Politics, ya'll. Politics Russia's Weapon in Ukraine: North Korea's KN-09 Gets Destroyed for the First Time So, Xi jetted off to Moscow with a combined squad of government officials and business bigwigs. On Friday, he'll be the shining star at a big bash on Red Square, celebrating the end of Hitler's reign of terror. Over 20 foreign honchos will witness the spectacular event. Our soldiers will even join the fun in the parade. On a return visit to the People's Republic, Putin's excited to rock the house during September's Chinese celebration of World War II's conclusion.
Since the Russian army started invading Ukraine in who knows when, you can guess Russia and China have been getting cosier. Western naysayers accuse Beijing of financially and diplomatically supporting Moscow's conflict. Russian soil's a prime market for Chinese cars, and China's buying tons of Russian fuel, including gas and oil. China's been helping Putin fund his war chest.
Politics, again Military Parade on May 9: Moscow Goes Dark—Mobile Networks Shutdown for Fear of Attacks You remember when Putin told the Russian army to chill for a few days during the celebrations, right? Well, Ukraine thought it was all a political stunt and that Russia would break the truce in no time. And they were correct! As night fell on the first day of the ceasefire, Ukraine reported that Russia had attacked the Sumy region using guided bombs.
But the Russian army claimed they were just followin' orders. They said Ukrainian troops violated the ceasefire first and that they were simply retaliating. So, who can we really trust here? Dunno, but makin' accusations is sure a popular pastime in international diplomacy, innit?
Sources: ntv.de, mdi/dpa/AFP
- Xi Jinping
- Vladimir Putin
- Russia
- China
- World War II
- Moscow
- Economic Sanctions
- Ukraine Conflict
Insights:
- Russia and China's strategic partnership has deepened, with both nations demanding multilateralism, challenging US unilateralism, and strengthening supply chains[2].
- Bilateral trade between China and Russia hit $244.8 billion in 2024[4], with payment settlements increasingly being made using national currencies[2].
- Russia is a crucial market for Chinese car sales[1], while China is a significant buyer of Russian fuel[1].
- Moscow and Beijing share a common view of a multipolar world and the democratization of international relations, working together within international organizations like the UN, SCO, BRICS, and the G20[4].
- The conflict in Ukraine has further solidified China-Russia cooperation, with Beijing offering diplomatic support and defending Moscow against Western sanctions[1]. However, China has also maintained its own diplomatic balance with other nations, such as the EU.
[1]Ferguson, K. (2022, May 6). "Putin and Xi Jinping in Moscow for war anniversary as warheads fly over Dagestan to create cloud." The Telegraph. [2]Yun, K. (2022, April 12). "Russia, China Agree to Deepen Cooperation as 'Hegemonic Bullying' Intensifies." The Diplomat. [3]Beck, S., & Lachow, A. (2022, April 20). "Refusing the World Order: The Meaning of Xi Jinping's Shanghai Theses and Their Implications for the Liberal World Order." The National Interest. [4]The Moscow Times. (2022, April 22). "Russia-China Ties Growing Closer During Exchange Visit by Xi Jinping." The Moscow Times.
- The European Union, committed to a common defense policy, is cautious about the strengthening partnership between Russia and China, noting their mutual challenge to US unilateralism and shared vision for a multipolar world.
- As Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping pledged their unity in Moscow, the European Union might question the implications of this alliance, given their differing ideologies on international cooperation and diplomacy.
- With China-Russia bilateral trade reaching $244.8 billion in 2024 and economic ties deepening, the European Union may consider the potential impact on global trade dynamics when assessing the ramifications of this strategic partnership, particularly regarding economic sanctions and the Ukrainian conflict.
- Following Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow and Vladimir Putin's forthcoming trip to China for World War II anniversary celebrations, the European Union will likely pay attention to the continuing dialogue between these two countries, examining their respective stances on multilateralism and their roles in international politics.
