Xi, Putin meet in Moscow: emphasis on opposing power politics

President Xi Jinping emphasized that China and Russia have a special responsibility to oppose unilateralism and power politics.

Xi Jinping, who went to Moscow to attend the May 9 Victory Day ceremony, made this emphasis on Thursday at the Kremlin while starting official talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

In a statement at the beginning of the meeting, Xi said, “Eighty years ago, the peoples of China and Russia made enormous sacrifices to achieve a great victory and wrote an indelible page for world peace and human progress.”

Xi said, “Today, in the face of unilateralism trends, power politics, and bullying on the international stage, China, together with Russia, as major countries and permanent members of the UN Security Council, will assume our special responsibilities.”

Xi said that bilateral trust has deepened and the ties between China and Russia have become “calmer, more confident, stable, and resilient.”

“China will resolutely defend the rights and interests of China, Russia, and numerous developing countries, and we will work hand in hand to advance an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization,” he said.

In his opening remarks, Putin stated that he appreciated the opportunity to meet directly with his “dear friend,” adding that he would be pleased to visit China to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the war with Japan.

According to a statement from the Kremlin, Putin also noted that soldiers of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army would be the “largest foreign military contingent” participating in the Victory Day parade on Friday.

Putin added that the military brotherhood that developed between the two countries during the war years is “one of the fundamental pillars of modern Russian-Chinese relations.”

“Together with our Chinese friends, we resolutely protect historical truth, preserve the memory of the events of the war years, and counter the modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism,” he said.

Putin said that the intention to strengthen friendship and expand cooperation is an intention formed by Russia and China on the basis of “strategic interaction,” and that the development of relations is beneficial to both countries and is “not directed against anyone.”

Before the meeting, a red carpet was laid out for Xi Jinping at the Kremlin. The Chinese delegation also includes Xi’s general secretary Cai Qi, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.

This is Xi’s 11th visit to Russia since taking office in 2013 and his third meeting with Putin this year.

Xi’s visit to Moscow comes at a time when China is grappling with intense pressure from the US after US President Donald Trump imposed the harshest tariffs on Chinese goods.

Responding with retaliatory tariffs on imports from the US, China is also trying to present itself as a stable and long-term partner committed to economic integration and the global order in turbulent times, and is trying to attract many countries from Southeast Asia to Europe and Latin America.

Senior officials from China and the US will meet in Switzerland later this week for talks that will allow the parties to better understand each other’s positions before entering a long process of trade negotiations.

According to a statement from the Kremlin, the war in Ukraine, Russia-US relations, the BRICS group of developing economies, and cooperation within the G20 will be high on the agenda of the Xi-Putin talks.

Before joint statements and a press conference, Xi and Putin will also discuss economic and energy issues, including the proposed Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline.

As a show of solidarity, Xi, whom Putin described as the “main guest,” will attend the commemoration ceremony for the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II on Friday in Red Square.

Xi landed in Moscow on Wednesday local time for a four-day official visit.

In a written speech at the airport, Xi reiterated that China stands with Russia to protect the “victory legacy” of World War II.

“In the face of a volatile international environment full of instability and uncertainty, China and Russia… will jointly protect the outcomes of World War II, resolutely defend the UN-centered international system and the international order based on international law, and resolutely oppose hegemony and power politics,” he said.