Xi called Putin an “old friend” and said China is “willing to work with Russia to demonstrate the responsibility of major powers” and “instill stability and positive energy in a world of chaos.” Xi and Putin met on Thursday for the first time since the start of the invasion of Ukraine. The meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, is Xi’s first international trip since the start of the pandemic. “We highly appreciate the balanced position of our Chinese friends regarding the crisis in Ukraine,” Putin said. “We understand your questions and concern about this. During today’s meeting, of course we will explain our position.” Putin has also spoken out in support of China over Taiwan, which Beijing claims is a Chinese province that it will retake by force if necessary. China has conducted blockade-style military drills around Taiwan since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit last month. Taiwan’s government strongly rejects China’s claims of sovereignty. This composite image created on September 15, 2022 shows Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping during their meeting on the sidelines of the SCO leaders’ summit in Samarkand. Photo: Alexandr Demyanchuk/SPUTNIK/AFP/Getty Images “We intend to firmly adhere to the ‘one China’ principle,” Putin said. “We condemn the provocations of the United States and its satellites in the Taiwan Strait.” Fifteen heads of state were expected to gather at the SCO summit, with much of the Western media focusing on Xi and Putin. The pair announced an open-ended partnership in February after meeting on the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Just weeks later Russia invaded Ukraine. China’s government has struggled to balance its cooperation with global condemnation of Russia and the breadth of sanctions imposed against Moscow in response. At times it has been presented as a neutral party, even as a potential mediator, but signs of support for Russia have become clearer. This week, Li Zhanshu, China’s third-ranking official, met with Russian lawmakers and told them that China “fully understands and supports” Russia’s core interests and concerns. He pointedly blamed the US and NATO for the conflict in Ukraine – a stance he has maintained since the early days of the invasion – but added that China understood and supported the fact that Russia “took the action that needed to be taken”, according to a translation . by the China watchdog group, the Great Translation Movement. But behind the close Xi-Putin relationship, analysts said the summit would likely see them jockeying for influence in central Asia. The global push for its war against Ukraine and recent battlefield casualties have weakened Russia’s position as a guarantor of security in the region, they said, but it remains to be seen whether China will step up to the role. Instead, Xi would likely seek to take advantage of China’s growing power to build trade routes through central Asia, shield himself from sanctions if he attacked Taiwan, and secure support for defending his policies in Xinjiang. China has been accused of crimes against humanity in the region, which borders Kazakhstan, but denies any wrongdoing. Taiwanese military personnel observe artillery hitting targets during a joint combat training exercise in Pingtung County, Taiwan, September 6, 2022. Photo: Ritchie B Tongo/EPA “In historical terms, China has been at its strongest whenever the global trading system is based on land rather than sea,” said Niva Yau BIO BIO, before the summit. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. “Whenever we see that China has a big problem with Taiwan, we see China turning to central Asia.” Before the start of the summit Xi traveled to Kazakhstan and met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev – a key figure in Xi’s potential regional goals. On Thursday morning, he also met with the president of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the president of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Zhaparov, the president of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, and was greeted on his arrival by the president of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. According to Chinese official readings of the meetings, Xi often emphasized mutual national sovereignty and decried “external interference” — a charge Beijing often hurls at Western nations that criticize China’s domestic or international behavior. The remarks also marked a push for greater bilateral deals on trade routes and infrastructure investment, including under the belt and road initiative launched by Xi in Kazakhstan in 2013, as well as resource deals. Analysts said Kazakhstan was a key target in the region for China, with a relatively new president who came to power two years ago after his predecessor ruled for nearly three decades. The timing of the SCO summit and China’s need for influence in Central Asia left Kazakhstan in a “privileged position to negotiate” with Beijing. “In each of these deals with China they get more than other countries would get,” Yau said. An itinerary published by the Indian delegation said that its President Narendra Modi will meet Putin at 3.40 pm. Xi is not expected to meet Modi as the two governments struggle to negotiate bilateral disputes, including the withdrawal of military troops from disputed border areas.
