Experts: China is unlikely to change its position after Putin escalates the war in Ukraine

The understanding between Putin (left) and Ping has reached its limit.

Reuters

Experts have said that Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to abandon his "old friend" Russian President Vladimir Putin, even as the latter's decision to send thousands of additional troops to Ukraine and his nuclear threats burden Beijing's "borderless" partnership with Moscow.

Instead, they added, China will continue its bizarre stance calling for dialogue and a peaceful solution, while refusing to condemn Russian interference in Ukraine.

On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that China adheres to an "objective" and "fair" position.

The rapprochement between Xi and Putin has increased in recent years, in the absence of trust between the two sides in the West.

They reaffirmed their partnership just days before the start of the Russian war in Ukraine, but China is careful not to provide any direct material support that could cause Western sanctions to be imposed on it.

Putin acknowledged those limitations last week, when the two men met in Uzbekistan for the first time since the war began, describing Xi as having questions and concerns about the situation in Ukraine and praising his "balanced" stance.

"I can't imagine how the situation could change," said Henry Wang Huiao, founder of the Beijing-based Center for China and Globalization. "China does not support war, does not support conflict. This was very clear from the beginning."

Russia says that what it is doing in Ukraine is a "special operation" aimed at undermining the military capabilities of its neighbor and uprooting what it describes as dangerous nationalists.

Although China may have hoped for a short war, Putin's battlefield moves in Ukraine - aimed at containing recent defeats - are unlikely to alarm Beijing or alter the entrenched nature of the two countries' relationship, analysts say.

The driving factor remains geopolitics, including Beijing's rivalry with Washington.

Economic cooperation between the two giant neighbors is likely to be enhanced, with China benefiting from more and cheaper energy supplies, while Russia offsets the losses caused by the EU embargo.

"The most important thing for Xi is that Putin does not fail or that the war cause chaos that could cause collateral damage to China, especially in the economic sphere," said Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. The first.”

The official Chinese media provided brief coverage of Putin's recent speech, even after it caused turmoil in global markets and provoked condemnations from Western powers. Without the regulatory authorities to delete it.

Yuan Jingdong, an assistant professor at the University of Sydney who specializes in Chinese defense and foreign policy, said he expects China to continue walking the fine line of refraining from openly criticizing Russia nor showing sympathy for Ukraine, while at the same time refraining, as much as possible, from supporting what it does. to Putin.

"Since Putin's National Security Adviser (was) in China when Putin made this announcement, there may be some reassurance from China to Russia about the importance of bilateral relations, but also a clear indication of what Russia can actually expect from China," he added.

And he added, "At this point, it appears that Beijing's choice is to stay out of the chaos and increased danger that war is causing."

• Economic cooperation between the two giant neighbors is likely to be enhanced, as China benefits from more and cheaper energy supplies, while Russia compensates for the losses caused by the EU embargo.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news