A long red carpet that acts as a bridge between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. The two leaders, Russian and Chinese, met today, March 21, in the great hall of the Kremlin in Moscow to shake hands and reaffirm their long and traditional friendship, in a global context marked by the war in Ukraine. The war that the two presidents continue to describe as the “Ukrainian crisis”.
The day after the informal meeting, Xi sees Putin again for formal negotiations, which should result in the signing of a dozen documents, an agreement for economic development by 2030, and a global partnership. The Chinese president does not want to leave the Kremlin empty-handed and wants to strengthen trade ties with a partner that has become increasingly dependent on Beijing. More and more infrastructure and more energy. Hence, the Belt and Road, the New Silk Road, and “Power 1 of Siberia”, the pipeline that supplies Russian gas to China, are increasingly appearing.
Xi’s intention is clear: helping his friend Putin can only yield economic and geopolitical benefits. In fact, Chinese companies in Russia are occupying the space left by Western companies, and Russia is increasingly seeing China as its exclusive or key market for gas and oil. It is not surprising, therefore, that Xi invited Putin to China to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which Beijing plans to hold later this year.
Towards the opening of the “Power of Siberia 2” pipeline
At today’s meeting, which was described as “outspoken”, Xi encouraged greater economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. Economic relations between China and Russia have gained great momentum since the start of the war in Ukraine: in 2022, bilateral trade reached a record $185 billion. But Putin wants to do more: to reach 200 billion by 2023.
Beijing comes to its aid, saying it is ready to expand cooperation in the energy sector. Xi knows he can buy Russian gas at discounted prices, while Putin plans to increase shipments to China. This requires new pipelines, such as the 2,600-kilometer “Power of Siberia 2” pipeline, which will carry gas from Russia via Mongolia to China.
How Mongolia was ‘crushed’ on gas by China and Russia
The debate over the completion of the construction of the pipeline, which contributed to the “Power of Siberia 1” project, which was inaugurated in 2019 and currently has a gas carrying capacity of 15.5 billion cubic meters, seems to have reached a turning point in 2019. The meeting of the two leaders who allegedly formed a team to complete the construction of the natural gas pipeline, which could carry 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year to China.
Speaking after his meeting with his Chinese counterpart, President Putin said, “Almost all the parameters of this agreement have been agreed upon. This is 50 billion cubic meters of gas.” He noted that Russian companies are ready to meet the growing Chinese economy’s demand for energy resources. “The Russian enterprise is able to meet the growing demand for energy resources from the Chinese economy, both under ongoing projects and currently negotiated projects. By 2030, the total gas supply volume will be at least 98 billion cubic meters and more than 100 million tons of liquefied natural gas”. its target exceeds 100 million tons, the threshold for liquefied natural gas production in Russia by 2030.
New gas pipeline to Putin and China
arctic route
Xi, on the other hand, calls for greater trade and investment cooperation with Moscow, both qualitatively and qualitatively. According to the Kremlin leader, trade and investment can be supported by the Chinese currency, the yuan, and flourish along alternative trade routes, such as the northern route in the Arctic. That’s why Russia wants to use the Chinese yuan for payments with third countries such as Asia, Africa and Latin America.
There is no room for war in Ukraine
The two leaders, however, did not discuss the “Ukraine crisis”, presumably because China’s position saying it was open to dialogue with all parties was sufficient and Russia claimed to have “studied” the Chinese “peace plan” in detail. “China’s peace plan can be taken as the basis for a peace deal in Ukraine when the West and Kiev are ready for it,” the Russian President said in a press statement after meeting with his Chinese counterpart. said. The phone conversation between Xi and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky still remains unclear, the US Wall Street Journal reported on March 13.
After the Chinese president greets Putin, he is expected to meet with Zelensky, which will be the first direct dialogue between Kiev and Beijing since the start of the war. But Yuri Ushakov, adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said: “It is unlikely that the Chinese president will have a phone call ‘today or tomorrow’ with his Ukrainian counterpart because the Chinese leader will be too busy visiting Moscow.” Stating that a meeting between Xi and Zekensky is important for Russia for the resolution of the Ukraine crisis, Ushakov said, “A possible meeting in this context is completely irrelevant. I don’t even know whether the Chinese side has approved a possible meeting between the two leaders.
Kiev opposes Moscow’s ‘ceasefire’
Putting aside the “Ukrainian crisis” and reiterating that bilateral relations show a “healthy development dynamic”, China and Russia can claim that they completed this second day of their talks efficiently. At least for bilateral trade and economic growth of the two countries.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
