Russia and China are “reliable partners”, says Xi Jinping upon his arrival in Moscow

China’s political endorsement of Russia in the midst of its war in Ukraine. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Monday, March 20, in his first official visit to the Kremlin since he began the invasion of his neighboring country more than a year ago.

After his arrival at the Vnukoko airport, Xi assured that he expects a new boost in Russian-Chinese relations and that his country is ready to “defend” together with Moscow a world order based on international law, according to statements quoted by the state news agency. TASS Russian news.

Moscow and Beijing “are reliable partners,” remarked the president of the Asian giant.

The meeting represents a political boost for the Kremlin leader, as it is the first visit by a ruler to Vladimir Putin after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him on March 17 for war crimes, in specifically for the mass kidnapping of Ukrainian children transferred to Russian territory.

Moscow denies these accusations and alleges that they are “adoptions” of minors “abandoned” by the war.

Xi and Putin are scheduled for talks and negotiations, after which they are expected to sign joint statements.

“This visit is aimed at facilitating strategic coordination and practical cooperation between the two countries and injecting new impetus into the development of bilateral relations,” the Chinese state news agency Xinhua published, upon the arrival of its president on Russian soil.

China’s “neutral” and “fair” position on the war in Ukraine?

That is the position that Beijing assured that it has towards the conflict, in an article published in the Russian newspaper ‘Rossiiskaya Gazeta’ on the eve of the official visit to Moscow, but from the West there are multiple questions about it.

The Chinese government stressed that Xi arrives in Moscow with a “neutral” look in the face of the biggest war on European soil since World War II.

“China will continue to take an objective and fair role in the Ukraine crisis, and play a constructive role in peace talks,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

But analysts and diplomats see in Xi’s official visit to Russia – which will last until March 22 – a resounding support from Beijing for Moscow, despite his speech of impartiality in the face of the invasion.

Beijing’s words seem contradictory given Xi’s notable rapprochement with his Russian counterpart.

As proof of this, Xi spared no praise for Putin in the text released the day before his visit to Moscow. There he stated that the two countries adhered to the concept of “everlasting friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.”

The United States also highlights that the Chinese government has not unequivocally condemned the ongoing invasion.

Despite the ICC accusations against Putin for war crimes and the investigations by various civil organizations into serious human rights violations committed by Russian troops against Ukrainian civilians (such as executions, torture and rape, among others), the Foreign Ministry China said on Monday that the International Criminal Court should take “a fair position.”

On Sunday March 19, in another article, President Vladimir Putin praised his “good old friend” Xi and welcomed Beijing’s willingness to play what he called a “constructive role” in resolving the “crisis” of Ukraine.

The Asian giant also showed full support for the Kremlin during the visit of the top representative of Chinese diplomacy, Wang Yiwho remarked that relations between the two nations are “solid as a rock” and that they will not withstand international pressure.

Xi’s government tries to portray itself as a peacemaker without compromising its position as a “good old friend” to Putin, but its role has little or no credibility to the United States, NATO and most Western governments.

Russia and China, historically marked by mutual distrust, They have displayed a remarkable united front in the last year against their common enemy: the United States and its allies.

China’s attempts to appear as a mediator in international conflicts

Beijing’s leap into Ukraine affairs follows its recent success in brokering talks between Iran and its Middle East rival Saudi Arabia, which have agreed to restore diplomatic ties after years of tensions.

In the case of Ukraine, the Xi Jinping Administration launched a 12-point proposal, which it presented as a way to resolve the conflict.

The program is to respect the sovereignty of all countries, abandon the Cold War mentality, cease hostilities, resume peace talks, resolve the humanitarian crisis, protect civilians and prisoners of war, preserve the security of facilities weapons, reduce strategic risks, facilitate grain exports, end unilateral sanctions, keep industrial and supply chains stable, and promote post-conflict reconstruction.

But on February 25, the president of the United States, Joe Biden, called of “irrational” the “pacifying role” of China.

“Putin is applauding him, so how could that be a good thing?” Biden said at the time.

Although the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, initially received the Chinese proposal with caution, the plan finally failed and this Monday, March 20, the secretary of the National Council for Security and Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Danilov, confirmed that his government will not bow down in its terms for a peace agreement.

“The first and main point is the capitulation or withdrawal of the Russian occupation troops from the territory of Ukraine in accordance with the norms of international law and the UN Charter”, something that according to Kiev is not explicit in the Chinese program.

Even so, the Kremlin continues to back Beijing’s peace plan, announcing that it would be discussed at talks between Putin and Xi this week.

As China tries to boost diplomatic leverage globally, it is gaining space to strengthen its economic partnerships with Moscow. Beijing is aiming for a closer energy partnership after boosting imports of Russian coal, gas and oil and Washington says it is on track to supply the Kremlin with weapons for war. However, the Chinese government rejects these accusations.

Russia opens criminal investigation against ICC judges, after arrest warrant for Putin

The Russian authorities reported on Monday, March 20, that they had opened a criminal investigation against the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan,and the high court judges, after last Friday the court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes in Ukraine.

The Moscow Investigative Committee stated that it believes that “there are no grounds for criminal responsibility” of the Russian president and that he is an “innocent” person.

Likewise, the Kremlin entity accuses the court of “preparing an attack against a representative of a foreign State that enjoys international protection, with the aim of complicating international relations.”

However, some diplomats and experts indicate that the Hague-based court it does not recognize a president’s immunity in cases involving war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.

The arrest warrant against Putin was issued for being considered the main person responsible for the massive kidnapping of Ukrainian children who during the ongoing war have been transferred to Russia to re-educate them and become Russian citizens.

For this cause there is also an arrest warrant against Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belovathe visible face of that Kremlin program and which promotes the adoptions of these minors on local television.

With Reuters, AP and local media