China: Xi Jinping reaffirms his support for Vladimir Putin
Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday June 15 by telephone.
VIA REUTERS - Sputnik Photo Agency
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
The Chinese president spoke with his Russian counterpart this Wednesday, June 15 by telephone.
Xi Jinping assured Vladimir Putin that he had Beijing's support in matters of "
sovereignty
" and "
security
".
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With our correspondent in Beijing,
Stéphane Lagarde
This is not the first time that the Chinese government has said that it understands and supports Vladimir Putin's security concerns, particularly with regard to NATO.
But until now, if however the statements reported by the official press are accurate, never before has there been any question of public support for the "
sovereignty
" of Russia.
“
On the Ukraine crisis, China has always made an independent judgment based on the history and the merits of the case itself.
All parties must responsibly push for a proper resolution of the Ukrainian crisis
,” Xi Jinping – who is not talking about war, therefore, but about crisis – reportedly said in a quote posted on the
Twitter account of the
Global Times
, subsidiary of the People's
Daily
.
And to continue: “
China is ready to continue to play its rightful role in this regard
”.
Reassure the Kremlin?
On March 7, the speech of Wang Yi, the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, evoked the Sino-Russian friendship “
solid as a rock
”.
But there again, nothing on the precise question of the "
sovereignty
" of Russia, on the sidelines of the People's National Assembly meeting in Beijing.
A few days after these statements, the
Financial Times
claimed that Moscow had asked Beijing for assistance and military equipment for its “
special military operation
”.
What Beijing has so far refused.
With this new telephone exchange, is this a way for the Chinese number one to reassure his Russian counterpart and encourage the Kremlin to negotiate?
So far, Xi Jinping has never called Volodymyr Zelensky.
►Also read: Geopolitics, the debate - China-Russia facing the West: the new geopolitical cycle?
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China
Russia
Xi Jinping
Vladimir Poutine
Ukraine