Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a meeting with top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov in Beijing on Tuesday, as reported by state media, signaling China’s continued emphasis on its increasingly strong relationship with Moscow.
Lavrov is on a two-day visit to the Chinese capital, following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent indication that he was contemplating China for his inaugural foreign trip after securing an extended term through a managed election victory last month.
The Kremlin confirmed on Tuesday that such a visit was being planned, stating that Lavrov’s visit could be seen as groundwork for forthcoming high-level engagements, as reported by the state-run news agency Tass. However, a spokesperson declined to provide specific dates.
During their meeting, Xi pledged to enhance communication with Russia and expressed Beijing’s support for Moscow in maintaining social stability and security, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Xi also acknowledged the joint endeavor of both countries to reform “global governance,” hinting at their collaborative efforts to reshape a world they perceive as dominated by the West.
Lavrov emphasized that strengthening ties with China was a top priority of Russia’s foreign policy, according to Chinese state media.
The encounter marked the first direct meeting between Xi and Lavrov in six years, noteworthy since heads of state typically do not meet with visiting ministers. Their previous meeting in 2018 occurred shortly before Putin’s state visit to China, which was his first such visit following his reelection that year.
Since then, both countries have intensified their economic, trade, and diplomatic relations, particularly in the aftermath of Putin’s actions in Ukraine.
While Beijing maintains neutrality in the conflict, it has become a crucial economic lifeline for the isolated Russian economy and a steadfast diplomatic ally for Moscow as they both resist perceived containment efforts from the West.
In response to a Russian lawmaker expressing hope that Putin’s symbolic first trip abroad in his new term would be to China, Putin stated that he would take that suggestion “into account.”
Putin’s most recent visit to Beijing was in October for the Belt and Road Forum, while Xi undertook a state visit to Moscow in March after beginning his third term as Chinese president.
Earlier on Tuesday, Lavrov met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Wang highlighted the countries’ relations as reaching “the highest level in history” and hinted at their shared stance on the United States by expressing opposition to a Cold War mentality, as reported by Chinese state media during a joint news conference after their meeting.
During the conference, Lavrov stated that discussions about Ukraine should involve Moscow’s interests to be effective, as reported by Tass.
Wang informed Lavrov that China advocates for an international peace conference recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, with all parties having equal participation and all peace proposals being fairly discussed, according to a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
These statements come amid increasing concerns about resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
Previous attempts at international peace conferences have been supported by Kyiv but excluded Moscow, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky seeks broad backing for his peace initiative, which entails the complete withdrawal of Russian troops.
China has been in dialogue with Switzerland regarding an upcoming international peace conference, as per state media reports, but has emphasized that such talks should be acknowledged by both Ukraine and Russia.
