President Xi Jinping has paid an official visit to Moscow after being elected for the third term. Xi’s visit has far-reaching impact at a time when Russia and Ukraine are at war. US and West are fully supporting Ukraine and fueling the war. In such a situation, the visit to Russia becomes important. The entire world, especially America, is keeping a close eye on the outcome of the visit. American media is active in bringing out the negative side of this visit. President Xi has indicated his positive role to end the aggravating conflict which has been accepted and appreciated by both Russia and Ukraine.
On the contrary, the visit also indicates that two powers, China and Russia can co-exist in a peaceful space where they can have bilateral trade, economic partnership and much more which definitely will have a positive impact overall. The opinion that two powerful countries will only back stab each other and will only have problems turned out to be just a myth. President Xi expressed his views before one-on-one meeting with President Putin and said that the bilateral relations between China and Russia have strengthened and are at the best level in history. The growing rapprochement between China and Russia is a natural concern for the United States and its European allies, especially after the Saudi-Iran deal. Chinese President described his visit as a trip of friendship, cooperation and peace, while China is being criticized by Western countries. China is quietly and diplomatically following Russia Ukraine conflict without interfering in the crisis, rather finding way to solve this crisis which is becoming reason of many problems i.e. food scarcity, economic downturn and resultantly heading towards World War 3.
Chinese President Xi Jinping wrote in an exclusive article for Russian newspapers that he will work with President Putin to jointly develop a new strategy for relations. China is still neutral in the Ukraine war. China is trusted by President Putin, who welcomed Beijing’s actions on Ukraine as a sign of its willingness to play a constructive role in ending the conflict and said China-Russia relations are at an all-time high. Xi visited the Ukrainian city of Mariupol on March 19, his first visit to an occupied territory of Ukraine since the invasion in February 2012. The visit to Russia is also significant because it comes just days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin on charges of war crimes over the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children. President Xi Jinping gave message to the concerned quarters by terming President Putin an old friend after he was elected for a third term this month. Beijing and Moscow have seen significant cooperation in recent years. Moscow and Beijing are making a partnership which is declared as limitless. He criticized the US-led campaign and demanded that the US stay out of the conflict and that if it really wants peace in Ukraine, it should act as an impartial mediator and come up with a solution to the problem instead of fanning the flames of war.
Beijing issued a 12-point document to resolve the conflict, which emphasized Russia-Ukraine negotiations and respect for the territorial sovereignty of all other countries. It shows China’s clear policy that no country should interfere in the affairs of others at the global level and no country has the right to dictate international order or impose its own agenda on other countries. President of China also explained this in his article saying that China has always taken an objective and neutral position regarding the Russia-Ukraine issue and has actively promoted peace talks.
Intentions of the United States are also evident from the fact that National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the United States does not currently support a ceasefire, meaning US wants to inflame the fire of war in the region. United States certainly does not support China’s demand for a cease-fire at the meeting in Moscow because it would only benefit Russia. Washington has also accused Beijing of considering arms exports to Moscow, which China has vehemently denied.
It is clear that this visit will have a far-reaching impact not only in the region but also globally. China will use its traditional cold but firm diplomacy to achieve goals. China does not have any expansionist ambitions in the region, Xi’s agenda is very clearly based on prosperity, development and stability, which is receiving great acceptance not only in the region but globally. China is a good example for developing countries.
Also, world politics is taking a shift and power is shifting from West to East. Why is that so? It is because USA’s hegemonic policies, which are not acceptable and workable anymore. China in recent times have massively focused on connecting the world through BRI thus wants to end conflicts going around the globe. Talking about peace is what the world wants right now and that is why the power paradigm is shifting from West to East which China leading the new world order.
Note: The Writer is Editor-in-Chief at Daily Ittehad Group of Newspapers, Pakistan Economic Net (PEN) and Vice President of Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE).