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Russia's top diplomat Lavrov in China ahead of Putin visit
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holds a meeting with representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics in Moscow on February 25, 2022. PHOTO/ AFP
What you need to know:
- The foreign ministry announced on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that Lavrov was in the Chinese capital as part of a Russian delegation.
Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov arrived in Beijing on Monday ahead of an expected visit by President Vladimir Putin to China, for a gathering of representatives of 130 countries that will be overshadowed by the Israel-Gaza war.
This will be Putin's first trip to a major global power since the Ukraine invasion.
The foreign ministry announced on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that Lavrov was in the Chinese capital as part of a Russian delegation.
Beijing is hosting representatives of 130 countries Tuesday to Wednesday to mark a decade of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- a key geopolitical project of President Xi Jinping to extend China's global reach.
But all eyes will be on Putin, who last month told Beijing's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Saint Petersburg he had "gladly accepted" Xi's invitation to visit China for the BRI talking shop.
The Russian leader's strategic dependence on China has only grown since his invasion of neighbouring Ukraine thrust his country into international isolation.
Putin last week voiced concern at the "catastrophic increase" in the number of civilian victims in Israel and the Gaza Strip.
The Kremlin ambassador to the United Nations has called for a "humanitarian cease-fire" in the Gaza Strip and Israel, while blaming the United States for the ongoing conflict.
This year, trade between China and Russia has soared to levels not seen since the beginning of Moscow's war in Ukraine, with Chinese imports of Russian oil offering Moscow a critical lifeline as international sanctions bite.
China has refused to condemn the war in an effort to position itself as a neutral party, while at the same time offering Moscow vital diplomatic and financial support.
At the heart of the deepening partnership is the relationship between Xi and Putin, who have described each other as "dear friends".
But their alliance is also forged by a symbiotic necessity, each seeing the other as a necessary bulwark in their shared struggle against Western dominance.
In an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CGTN ahead of his visit this week, Putin hailed ties with Beijing and the "mutual benefits" of the BRI.
"President Putin pointed out that a multipolar world is taking shape, and the concepts and initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping are highly relevant and significant," CGTN reported.
"He stated that President Xi Jinping is a well-recognized leader on the world stage and is a true world leader," it said.
Putin also reportedly "shared pleasant memories between President Xi and him, and hoped tradition continues when they meet in China in the future."
A number of leaders have already arrived in Beijing ahead of the summit, according to China's state news agency Xinhua.
Among them are Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Chilean President Gabriel Boric, Kenyan President William Ruto and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
