Chinese Foreign Ministry has not yet confirmed Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin did not confirm media reports about a possible visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Russia next week, transmit “RIA News”.

“China and Russia maintain close cooperation at all levels. Regarding the issue you raised, we currently do not have information that we could make public,” he commented.

Also, the diplomat did not give a clear answer about possible negotiations between Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In response to a relevant question, Wang Wenbin noted that “China’s position on the Ukrainian issue is clear and consistent, Beijing maintains contacts with all parties.”

The day before, March 13, Reuters, citing sources informedthat Xi Jinping plans to arrive in Moscow next week on a working visit, where he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Then it was clarified that the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not give an operational comment to the agency. March 13, press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov declared, so far can not say anything about this. He noted that usually the announcement of official foreign visits is carried out “synchronously” by agreement of the parties.

Also a day earlier, the Wall Street Journal, citing sources informed about the intentions of the President of China to hold an online meeting with Zelensky, presumably after the possible visit of the former to Moscow. It was noted that this would be the first conversation between the two leaders since the beginning of the special operation.

On December 30, 2022, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping held video conference talks during which the Russian President invited Chairman of the People’s Republic of China to visit Moscow in the spring of 2023

At the end of February, Wang Yi, head of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, visited Moscow and met with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. At the meetings, issues of cooperation between Russia and China and the upcoming meeting between the Russian leader and the President of the People’s Republic of China were discussed. Then Putin asked to convey his best wishes to Xi, calling him his friend.

On March 10, the deputies of the National People’s Congress unanimously voted for Xi Jinping to the presidency of the PRC. He became the first leader in Chinese history to be re-elected for a third term. Putin was the first world leader to congratulate him on his re-election.