Xi Jinping seems to be on a path of global domination. After cementing his role as China’s leader for at least another five years, he brokered a deal between Iran and the Saudi Arabians. With whatever it was he wanted to accomplish in Tehran well in hand, the Pooh Bear is off to spend a couple days hanging out with Vladimir Putin in Moscow. They’ll be kicking around the “peace plan” the Chinese came up with for Ukraine. Assuming that China and Russia come to a “meeting of the minds,” they’ll get Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky into the loop and try to seal the deal. Then, China can settle a few things with Uncle Sam which have been festering.
Xi Jinping goes globe trotting
As reported by Washington Post, “Chinese leader Xi Jinping will travel to Russia next week to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the strongest show of Beijing’s support for Moscow since the war in Ukraine began.”
Since they’re both communist nations, they’ve always shared an agenda. Both China and Russia separately announced the upcoming meeting on Friday, March 17.
Xi is expected to jet into Moscow on Monday, and stay through Wednesday. The extended visit will allow diplomats with both leaders to discuss ways of “deepening Russian-Chinese cooperation.” While they have the chance, “a number of important bilateral documents will be signed.” China has a new Foreign Minister, “Wolf Warrior” Qin Gang took over for Wang Yi.
— Kilgore Trout (@Kilgore73862013) March 8, 2023
Dances with Wolves is letting his office handle the PR for Xi’s upcoming trip, showing he’s busy on the important prep work. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Xi’s visit would be a trip of “peace, cooperation and friendship,” stressing “that China would promote peace talks.” Anyone who studies Sun Tzu knows that doesn’t bode well. When you want a war, talk about peace and if “peaceful negotiations are in progress, warlike preparations should be made beforehand.” Xi’s tracking right along with the number one expert on the subject.
Wang used his regular Friday news briefing to explain that “China’s proposition can be summed up in one sentence, which is to persuade peace and promote talks.” Since Xi and Putin will be face-to-face, “of course, the conflict in Ukraine will be discussed,” Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov confirms.
“We appreciate the restrained, calibrated position of the Chinese leadership on this issue.” Everyone knows that the visit is also “a show of defiance in the face of increasingly loud U.S. criticism of Beijing’s ‘no limits‘ partnership with Moscow.”
Friends and trade partners
For Xi to make the pilgrimage to Russia sends a strong signal diplomatically to the rest of the world. As Washington Post points out, this “trip also highlights Russia’s growing dependence on China, one of its few remaining friends and trading partners.”
All along, “China has tried to strike a balance between maintaining its friendship with Russia while not endorsing the war. Instead, China has sought to position itself as a mediator on the side of peace while blaming the crisis on the United States and NATO.”
That seems to be the general strategy for the future. A couple weeks ago, “Beijing released a 12-point proposal for ending the war that included calls for talks, a cease-fire and an end to ‘unilateral sanctions,’ but no demands for Russian withdrawal from Ukrainian territory.”
President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia will be a trip for friendship, cooperation and peace. pic.twitter.com/nwFxBbKk2f
— Spokesperson发言人办公室 (@MFA_China) March 17, 2023
They may be talking about peace but “the visit could undermine China’s efforts to appear neutral.” Xi hasn’t come out and slapped Vlad on the wrist for invading his neighbor.
To the contrary, “Beijing has refused to condemn Putin’s actions while increasing its trade with Russia and holding joint military exercises.” China can’t play the plausible deniability card because “Xi and Putin have spoken several times since the war began, including in person on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in September.”
The only one China is keeping in the dark is Antony Blinken. If all goes well, Ukrainian President Zelensky is looking forward to Xi’s call. “There are no specific agreements about this yet. But this topic, among others, was discussed by foreign ministers of Ukraine and China. So we can say that the work is in progress.“
