Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia on May 7-10 and join his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at commemorations of the Allied victory against Nazi Germany, the Kremlin said on Sunday.
The visit coincides with heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington over swingeing US trade tariffs and Putin’s order for a three-day truce in Ukraine, to coincide with Russia’s World War II Victory Day on May 9.
Moscow and Beijing declared a “no limits partnership” weeks before Putin announced his Ukraine offensive in February 2022, and the two countries have since expanded their trade and military ties in an alliance that has worried the West.
The Russian president’s office said Xi would hold bilateral talks with Putin on “developing partnerships and strategic ties” and on “issues on the international and regional agenda”.
“The governments and ministers… are expected to sign a series of bilateral documents,” it added.
Putin has ordered a temporary halt in fighting in neighbouring Ukraine from May 8 to 10, a move that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed as theatrics.
China has portrayed itself as a neutral party in the three-year conflict, although Western governments say its close ties to Russia have given Moscow crucial economic and diplomatic support.
Zelensky in April accused China of supplying arms to Russia, and alleged Beijing knew of at least 155 Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces.
Beijing has called allegations of its involvement in the conflict “irresponsible remarks”.
On Sunday, a spokesman for the Chines? foreign ministry emphasised the country’s historic and strategic ties with Russia at a time when “the international order is undergoing profound adjustments”.
“China and Russia will further strengthen close collaboration in multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS countries,” Chinese state television CCTV quoted the spokesman as saying.
“(They will) unite the vast global South, lead global governance in the correct direction, firmly oppose unilateralism and bullying acts, and jointly promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalisation.”
US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs of up to 145 percent on many US imports from China. Beijing has responded with duties of 125 percent on US goods.
Turning to WWII, the Chinese spokesman said: “As the two main battlefields of World War II in Asia and Europe, China and Russia made tremendous sacrifices and great historical contributions to winning the World Anti-Fascist War.”
In addition to Xi, a score of other leaders are expected to attend a military parade on Red Square in Moscow on May 9, including Russia’s traditional allies.
The Kremlin has drawn parallels between its offensive against Ukraine and its World War II fight against Nazi Germany.
