Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on the first state visit of his new term.
It comes at a time when its forces are mounting a major new attack on Ukraine and amid US criticism of China for supporting that war with non-lethal assistance.
Putin touched down on Thursday morning local time and is expected to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his two-day visit. The heads of state are likely to discuss pressing international issues and celebrate diplomatic relations between China and Russia.
Putin’s state visit comes as Russian forces launch a major offensive in the region northeast of Kharkiv, forcing the evacuation of thousands of civilians and putting more pressure on an ammunition-starved Ukrainian force.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Kiev this week and stressed that the US would continue to support Ukraine during the attack.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Blinken also called on China for providing non-lethal aid to Russia, saying that when he visited Beijing he saw that the “overwhelming majority” of machine tools and microelectronic chips for Russia come from Chinese sources.
“This goes directly to strengthening that defense industrial base which, over the last year, has managed to produce more tanks, more armored vehicles, more missiles – all used in the aggression against Ukraine,” he said.
“What concerns us deeply is the support that China is providing Russia to rebuild its defense industrial base in a way that will materially contribute and make a difference in its aggression against Ukraine,” Blinken added.
Blinken also said the US is prepared to unveil more sanctions against any entities found responsible for supporting the Russian war effort. He argued that China cannot seek closer relations with Europe “while on the other hand remaining responsible for fueling the greatest threat to Europe’s security since the end of the Cold War.”
“Because the threat posed by Russia is both the immediate threat here in Ukraine as a result of the aggression, but also as it works to try to circumvent sanctions, export controls… in rebuilding its defense industrial base, an ongoing process and potentially threatening increasing for many other countries in Europe,” he said.
“So this is of utmost importance to many Europeans I’ve spoken to, and I imagine they’re spreading this to Beijing as well.”
Putin won his fifth term in March in an election that Western leaders widely considered a sham.
Before his visit, Putin gave an interview to Chinese state media outlet Xinhuawhere he expressed support China’s 12-point peace plan to end the war in Ukraine.
“Beijing proposes viable and constructive measures to achieve peace, refraining from pursuing vested interests and the constant escalation of tensions, minimizing the negative impact of the conflict on the global economy and the stability of global value chains,” Putin said on interview.
But he also criticized the US and Western allies for not seeking peace, accusing “Western elites” of trying to punish Russia and avoiding discussions about the root causes of the war in Ukraine, including what he called the West imposing rules. arbitrary to the rest. of the world.
“Unfortunately, neither Ukraine nor its Western sponsors support these initiatives. They are not ready to engage in equal, honest and open dialogue based on mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests,” he said. “They are reluctant to discuss the underlying causes, the very origins of the global crisis, which manifested itself, among other things, in the dramatic situation around Ukraine.”
Putin has repeatedly said he was open to negotiations, but the US fears he would not negotiate in good faith and seeks to hold on to territory Russian forces seized in Ukraine after the 2022 invasion.
China’s peace plan calls for respect for the sovereignty of all nations, cessation of hostilities and engagement in peace talks, while lifting sanctions and reopening economic channels. The plan was criticized in the West for being too favorable to Russia, although Ukraine expressed openness to the proposal if Moscow withdrew troops from Ukrainian territory.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
