China’s Xi Meets With Russian Foreign Minister in a Show of Solidarity Against West

China and Russia Demonstrate Unity Against Western Powers: Xi Holds Meeting with Russian Foreign Minister

April 9, 2024 TruthUSA

During a meeting in Beijing on April 9, Chinese communist regime leader Xi Jinping reaffirmed solidarity with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov amid increasing pressure from the West.

Mr. Lavrov arrived in China on April 8 for a two-day visit, with the Kremlin suggesting that the visit was laying the groundwork for future discussions between Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Prior to meeting Xi, Mr. Lavrov held talks with Wang Yi, the top diplomat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They agreed to explore ways to enhance security cooperation across Europe and Asia to counter pressure from the United States and its regional allies, Mr. Lavrov told reporters following the meeting.

At a press conference in Beijing, Mr. Lavrov stated, “We share a common goal of strengthening security in Eurasia.” He also mentioned that China and Russia agreed to initiate a dialogue with other like-minded countries on this issue.

The visit by the Russian foreign minister to China coincided with renewed concerns in the United States regarding Chinese companies supporting Russia’s defense capabilities.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who was in China for economic discussions, issued a direct warning about Beijing’s assistance to Moscow, emphasizing that any firms, including those in China, providing aid to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would face significant consequences.

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Yellen informed reporters in Guangzhou on April 6 that China has assured her that it will not provide military support to Russia. She emphasized the importance of avoiding any issues in the bilateral relationship and working together on the matter.

This warning echoed similar concerns raised by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who noted that China is supplying materials to support Russia’s defense industrial base.

In a recent phone call with Xi, President Biden raised concerns about China’s support for Russia, according to a statement from the White House.

President Biden is set to meet with the leaders of Japan and the Philippines to strengthen economic and defense ties, aiming to counter the increasing aggression of the Chinese regime and address various risks in the region.

Xi refrained from condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, choosing instead to blame the United States for the conflict. This approach has led to increased trade between China and Russia, providing vital support to Moscow amidst Western sanctions.

Firefighters work at a site of a power infrastructure object, which was hit during Russia's missile strike outside Kharkiv, Ukraine, on March 22, 2024. (Sofiia Gatilova/Reuters) — Firefighters work at a site of a power infrastructure object, which was hit during Russia’s missile strike outside Kharkiv, Ukraine, on March 22, 2024. (Sofiia Gatilova/Reuters)

China’s commerce ministry data revealed a record high trade volume of $240 billion between China and Russia in the previous year, indicating a 26% increase from 2022.

In contrast, trade between China and the U.S. saw its first decline since 2019. China-U.S. trade dropped by 11.6% to $664 billion in 2022, according to China’s customs data.

Xi and Mr. Lavrov last met in April 2018, and shortly after, Mr. Putin made a state visit to China.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned that Mr. Lavrov’s visit to Beijing was part of preparations for future high-level contacts. However, he noted that specifying timeframes at this point would be premature.

Reuters reported last month, citing unnamed sources, that Mr. Putin is expected to visit China in May. This visit, if confirmed, would be Mr. Putin’s first international trip following his reelection for a fifth term in March.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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