Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Monday for three days of talks, in the strongest show yet of support for Russia since its invasion of Ukraine. Beijing has billed the state visit as a peace mission, which comes as a welcome show of solidarity for an increasingly isolated Moscow. Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are styling themselves as the leaders of a new world order — and their alignment is based largely on shared opposition to U.S. power.
The talks began Monday at the Kremlin with an initial handshake between the two, who sat and held a brief exchange before the press. Putin praised Xi’s leadership and said he had “carefully studied” Beijing’s proposals regarding peace in Ukraine. Beijing has portrayed itself as a neutral party and even potential peacemaker in the war, although its 12-point proposal for ending the conflict includes no demands for Moscow to withdraw its troops.
China’s leader is set to meet with Putin multiple times during the visit, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said Ukraine would “undoubtedly” be one of the items on the pair’s agenda. Officials around the world are eyeing the trip for signs it could provide Putin with a morale boost and a tacit endorsement of his brutal war.
President Xi Jinping called Monday for China to play a bigger role in managing global affairs after Beijing scored a diplomatic coup as the host of talks that produced an agreement by Saudi Arabia and Iran to reopen diplomatic relations.
Xi gave no details of the ruling Communist Party’s plans in a speech to China’s ceremonial legislature. But Beijing has been increasingly assertive since he took power in 2012 and called for changes in the International Monetary Fund and other entities it says fail to reflect the desires of developing countries.
China should “actively participate in the reform and construction of the global governance system” and promote “global security initiatives,” said Xi, the country’s most powerful leader in decades.
That will add “positive energy to world peace and development,” Xi said.
On Friday, Xi was named to another term in the ceremonial presidency after breaking with tradition in October and awarding himself a third-five year term as general secretary of the ruling party, putting himself on track to become the leader for life.
The National People’s Congress on Sunday cemented Xi’s dominance by endorsing the appointment of his loyalists as premier and other government leaders in a once-a-decade change. Xi has sidelined potential rivals and loaded the top ranks of the ruling party with his supporters.
The new premier, Li Qiang, tried Monday to reassure entrepreneurs but gave no details of possible plans to improve conditions after Xi’s government spent the past decade building up state companies that control banking, energy, steel, telecoms and other industries.
Li’s comments echoed promises by other Chinese leaders over the past six months to support entrepreneurs who generate jobs and wealth. They have vowed to simplify regulations and taxes but have given no indication they plan to rein in state companies that entrepreneurs complain drain away their profits.
The ruling party will “treat enterprises of all types of ownership equally” and “support the development and growth of private enterprises,” Li said.
“Our leading cadres at all levels must sincerely care about and serve private enterprises,” he said.
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