China's Xi Jinping expected to visit Russia around anniversary of Ukraine invasion: Report

With the first anniversary of the Moscow-Kyiv war right around the corner, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Moscow. According to the South China Morning Post, the Ministry asserted that Jinping’s visit to Moscow will be a “major event” on the two countries “bilateral agenda”. Beijing, on the other hand, is yet to confirm the highly anticipated visit. On February 24, the raging Russia-Ukraine war will complete one year. The war which started off with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year has intensified to a great extent.  

According to SCMP, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended an invitation to Jinping in a year-end video call. In the video call that took place in December last year,  the two heads of the nation reaffirmed stronger bilateral ties and cooperation in multiple areas including trade and energy. The visit would mark Xi Jinping’s first visit after 2019. In the year 2019, the leader of the Communist Party attended a three-day economic forum in St. Petersburg. In the Monday announcement, the Russian Foreign Ministry asserted, "This year, Russia and China will join efforts to enhance and promote further bilateral relations between the two governments. As you know, Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Chinese leader Xi Jinping on an official visit this spring. We proceed from the understanding that this will be the central event in the bilateral agenda for 2023," TASS reported. 

The growing ties between Russia and China amid the war

The bilateral talks between the two nations have intensified amid the Russia-Ukraine war. The two world leaders met face to face in September last year on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation leaders’ summit in Uzbekistan. According to TASS, the ministry asserted that the two leaders will discuss a wide range of issues. “Amid radical changes in the geopolitical situation, our countries have effectively managed to coordinate their foreign policy courses in order to maintain global peace and stability, to settle regional conflicts, to overcome confrontation and promote a unifying agenda. In cooperation with our counterparts, we have been taking consistent steps toward fighting attempts by the United States to achieve global dominance by promoting the concept of a rules-based order," the Russian foreign ministry asserted. 

When it comes to the economic aspects of China-Russia relations, Beijing has been one of the key trading partners of Moscow. Referring to the trading relations between the two countries, the Russian Foreign Ministry asserted that China has been Russia’s largest trading partner for over a decade. "We will work hard to push relations between Russia and China to a higher level for the sake of bilateral progress and for the benefit of our peoples," the ministry concluded.