The Kremlin responded to the words of China’s representative to the European Union about relations with Russia

The Kremlin proposes to focus on the content and spirit of contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to assess Russian-Chinese relations. This was announced to journalists on April 5 by the press secretary of the Russian leader Dmitry Peskov.

“We focus on the content and spirit of the contacts that took place between President Putin and President Xi most recently in Moscow. And the whole context of their mutual understanding is set out in two documents, in two signed statements that were adopted as a result of Russian-Chinese negotiations,” Peskov said.

This is how the press secretary of the Russian President commented on the words of the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the EU, Fu Cong, transmitted to The New York Times, that the statement on Russian-Chinese “boundless friendship”, signed in February 2022, before the start of hostilities in Ukraine, is “ rhetorical device.” The Chinese diplomat also said that Beijing does not recognize the entry of new regions into the Russian Federation based on the results of referendums in September 2022.

Fu Cong’s words were published shortly before the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron in Beijing on a state visit, which will last from April 5 to 7. The French leader will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, hold talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Parliament Speaker Zhao Leji.

In addition to Macron, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will visit the Chinese capital. The key topic of the visit of European politicians to China, they say, is negotiations with the Chinese authorities on the Ukrainian problem.

Macron, speaking in France to the French business community, said that China could play an important role in resolving the conflict in Ukraine thanks to good relations with Russia. Earlier, Politico wrote that the French leader hopes to convince Beijing to mediate in resolving the crisis, as well as reduce support for Moscow.

From the very beginning, China’s Permanent Representative to the EU Fu Cong “was at the forefront of Chinese efforts to maintain relations” with Europe against the backdrop of China’s actual support for Moscow, notes Vasily Kashin, director of the Center for European and International Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. He constantly spoke on this topic with journalists and experts: many publications in the Western media with reference to Chinese sources came from him, says Kashin.

“Of course, against the backdrop of Xi’s recent visit to Moscow, this creates an uncomfortable situation, as if the ambassador is disavowing his own leader’s statements. But this has practically no effect on Sino-Russian relations, since both Moscow and Beijing are well aware of the rules of this diplomatic game,” the expert notes.

According to Kashin, since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, the Chinese have shared their rhetoric directed at Russia, Europe and the United States. They sought to tell Europeans and Americans what they wanted to hear: they noted that they did not condemn Russia because of the special nature of the relationship, but they wanted a speedy end to the conflict.

At the same time, China has been building up economic support for Russia throughout the entire military operation, including an increase in the supply of industrial equipment necessary for the mobilization of industry, the expert notes. During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow, top-level support was expressed for the Russian leader and his policies.