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The summit that brought together the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Moscow, finally sent several messages that reflect the development of bilateral relations between the two countries, in light of their common interests, and the entry into a new episode of partnership, based on broader aspirations during The next stage.
The summit, which came during the first foreign visit of the Chinese president in his third term, expressed the extent of the convergence of common interests, perhaps more than ever before, between Moscow and Beijing, while the former seeks to confront the impact of sanctions imposed on it by the United States and the West, looking for guaranteed outlets for it built On the basis of mutual agreement, while Beijing found its way in those relations, to reap more strategic, political and economic gains.
pressure paper
Chinese interests do not stop at obtaining oil and gas from Russia at discounted prices, as happened during the past year after the Russian military operation in Ukraine. Among them: using those relations as a pressure card against the United States, in light of the competition between the two parties, along with economic gains.
The joint Russian-Chinese statement at the end of the visit reflected the volume of aspirations to develop bilateral relations. Two documents were signed, the first to deepen partnership and strategic interaction, in line with entering a new era, and the second on a plan to develop the main areas of economic cooperation until 2030, in light of a common goal. to double the volume of intra-trade. The writer and political analyst, Dmitry Briga, told Al-Bayan that “this rapprochement is important for the two countries, but it does not mean that it may result in a strong alliance, given that it is an alliance of economic interests imposed by the current circumstances, especially with regard to Russia, which has resorted to expansion. After losing those relations to the West, she resorted to heading towards the East as the only solution for her at the present time.
The volume of trade exchange between the two countries in 2022 amounted to 190 billion dollars, up from 147 billion dollars in 2021, while the two countries aim to reach 200 billion dollars in 2023. This comes at a time when relations between them have reached their “highest level ever.” Both sides affirm that the growing relations are not directed against another country.
Briga added, “Russia always talks about a multipolar system, and China as well, has an interest in this regard..But the latter works in a balanced context, in light of preserving the existing global order, even in the matter of Ukraine, as it understands that the two parties will go to further escalation.” It could lead to a long war.
close relationships
In this context, Alain Kafroni, a professor of international relations at Hamilton College in the United States of America, told Al-Bayan that China is avoiding falling into the trap of sanctions, but at the same time it is “working to maintain close relations with Russia.” This comes in view of the profound gains the Chinese genie reap as a result of relations with Russia, both the private internal gains reaped by Beijing, as well as the related strategic gains related to building a new world that does not recognize unipolarity. At the same time, the American expert spoke of Beijing’s continued work within the BRICS, in the context of its desire to establish a multipolar world (a desire it shares with Russia, as the two sides seek it within the framework of common gains and in light of the strategic and ideological compatibility between them).