Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a bilateral meeting before the opening of the BRICS summit on October 22, 2024, in Kazan, Russia.
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China and Russia’s “deep” relationship will not change despite upheavals in global geopolitics, Chinese President Xi Jinping has told his counterpart Vladimir Putin. At the opening of the BRICS summit in KazanRussia on Tuesday.
The two leaders met at the BRICS summit in Kazan on Tuesday evening local time, according to official readings from both governments.
“Today’s world is undergoing tremendous transformations not seen in a century, the international landscape is turbulent and rapidly changing,” Xi said, according to English. meeting reading. “However, I am confident that the deep and enduring friendship between China and Russia will not change.”
Putin also said that Russia-China cooperation is “one of the main stabilizers in the international arena”. Kremlin official reading in Englishrepeating his position during his state visit to China in May.
The two countries have claimed “borderless” friendship since February 2022 to act as an economic and political counterweight to US global influence.
In his remarks, Xi stated that the relationship between China and Russia is one of “non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party”. Xi said the two sides “acted in the spirit of good neighborliness and lasting friendship” and continued to deepen and expand strategic coordination and “comprehensive practical cooperation”.
‘Signs of stress’
However, “friendship without borders” is not without friction, as China has tried to position itself as a global player by not condemning Russia’s invasion while walking a tightrope in the war in Ukraine.
Beijing has been “careful not to be closely associated with Russia’s war in Ukraine, and is maintaining a facade of impartiality,” says Eugene Rumer, director and senior fellow. Carnegie’s Russia and Eurasia Programhe wrote in September.
Despite Beijing’s declaration of “borderless” friendship with Russia before Moscow began its invasion of Ukraine, China has not directly provided arms and ammunition to the war effort.
This week’s summit “would be an opportunity for Moscow to make a show of unity with Beijing amid signs of strain in the relationship,” Teneo managing director Gabriel Wildau told CNBC on Wednesday.
Wildau also highlighted China tightening controls on technology and goods exports military use earlier this week, ahead of Xi’s visit to Russia, “sends a signal to Moscow and the rest of the world that there are limits to the Chinese leadership’s willingness to enable Putin’s war effort.”
Russia and North Korea’s ties are deepening China has also been put in an awkward position. Although China joined Russia in rejecting calls for new sanctions against North Korea, it abstained from voting on a UN Security Council resolution that Moscow vetoed to expand a panel to monitor the enforcement of sanctions.
However, growing economic and diplomatic pressure from the US and its allies may force China to move closer to Russia. said the observers.
The BRICS summit – held from Tuesday to Thursday – gathered representatives from 36 countries and it would be the largest international gathering Putin has organized since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The economic alliance was originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009, before South Africa joined in 2010, and gave the organization of rapidly developing economies its current name. Since then it became a geopolitical forum For the world’s most powerful nations outside the West.
BRICS gained momentum after Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates joined the group in January, making membership in the bloc an attractive option for countries looking to boost trade, investment and economic development.
“It is not yet clear whether the grouping can go beyond providing vague statements of solidarity and function as a mechanism for joint action,” Wildau said, adding that recent expansion has made the organization “potentially more effective, but at the same time more messy and unwieldy.”
Putin is expected to hold a press conference after Thursday’s summit. Reuters reported on Monday citing Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov.
– CNBC’s Holly Ellyatt contributed to this story.
