Xi’s and Putin’s Closest Geopolitics Advisors Co-Chair Security Talks in Moscow

China and Russia held a new round of strategic security consultations on Tuesday in Moscow, and during the frequent interactions between the two major powers in recent months, the world has showed a dangerous trend of disorder or tensions in some regions, including the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Western Pacific, due to global strategic shift made by the US,

Chinese analysts said that the recent change has been generally caused by the decline of US hegemony, and not only will US pressure and hostility push China and Russia to stand closer, the decline in Washington’s strength and influence in some regions will also make Beijing and Moscow consider how to figure out new regional order to stabilize the situation and protect their interests after the US pullout.

Top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev co-chaired the 16th round of strategic security consultations on Tuesday, which is a high-level meeting focusing on strategic cooperation in confronting both regional and global security and geopolitical threats.

Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a message from Chinese President Xi Jinping in a phone conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, which reiterated the bilateral relationship between China and Russia. [Ie, Putin wasn’t in Moscow but took the time to videoconference with Yang from Sochi.]

The Russian president echoed this message, hoping Yang transfers his greetings for Xi and two top leaders will maintain close communication.

The two sides also discussed issues related to the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, reiterating the importance of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between China and Russia and celebration of the 20th anniversary of the signing fo the treaty, in addition to a number of hot topics on global affairs.

Yang will also visit two Eastern European countries and EU members – Slovenia and Croatia — after his visit to Russia.

Putin’s visit to China?

China and Russia have been maintaining frequent interactions over the past year, especially in the face of the US-led containment and unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. The friendship between the two countries has appeared to be more valuable and outstanding, analysts said.

Last year, the top leaders of the two countries spoke on the phone five times with a practical agenda and on December 28, 2020, the leaders indicated that on celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between China and Russia, the two countries eyed a higher level, broader scale of cooperation in 2021.

The White House announced on Tuesday that the US President Joe Biden will meet with Russian President Putin in Geneva, Switzerland on June 16, 2021 and the two leaders will discuss the full range of pressing issues, as we seek to restore predictability and stability to the US-Russia relationship. the Chinese expert said it’s also reasonable for Putin to visit China after the Russia-US summit to further coordinate with Beijing on global affairs.

Putin might visit China after his summit with Biden in June and before the 20th anniversary of the signing of 2001 China-Russia Treaty of Friendship on July 16, and the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China on July 1 could also be a friendly occasion and environment for the possible visit, analysts said.

“China-Russia ties have been moving forward steadily… it’s very likely that Putin will visit China in July, at the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the treaty, while considering the epidemic situation,” which means from June to July, the China-Russia-US trilateral ties would likely see a series of major events, Wang noted.

Source: Global Times