Yesterday was the first day of a two-day state visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin in China is a central theme in the Western press, which notes that US sanctions on Chinese companies exporting to Russia have done little to dampen Moscow and Beijing's enthusiasm for deepening their "unprecedented cooperation".
The talks between the two leaders were followed by a demonstration of a united front against the West, given that their communication is under the scrutiny of the world public, notes the British "Independent". The publication points out that in the long-worded joint statement of Putin and Xi there was nothing significantly different from their previous position, but the tone was firm, and the topics discussed were of an extremely wide range.
Recent US sanctions against China in connection with arms supplies to Moscow supporting Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine have not cast any shadow on bilateral relations, the "Independent" opined. "Putin arrived in Beijing in the early hours of Thursday and was greeted with a 21-gun salute, an honor guard and a brass band playing the famous old Russian song 'Podmoskovnie vechera,'" the British newspaper described, marking the Russian leader's first foreign visit after his inauguration for a fifth presidential term as a "symbolic act".
It comes at a moment of strategic importance - just a week after Xi Jinping made a five-day tour of Europe, during which he was warmly welcomed by Emmanuel Macron, the "Independent" points out, drawing attention to the fact that recently the French president has a leading voice in Europe on developments in Ukraine. The media also points out that Putin and Xi highlighted their "unprecedented cooperation" as a "stabilizing factor" on a global scale.
Another British newspaper - "Guardian", notes that today's visit to the city of Harbin, which will end his two-day visa, is an opportunity for Putin to emphasize the common cultural and historical ties between Russia and China. Here, the emphasis is on strengthening bilateral defense relations, with the Russian president quoted as praising the "friendly" talks with the Chinese leader before the concert at the National Performing Arts Center in Beijing to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the former Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China.
It is the latest in a series of signals that relations between these two world powers are now as strong as they have ever been, the Guardian reported, writing that Xi welcomed Putin on the red carpet in Beijing as his own. ;best friend".
These displays of unity come amid US President Joe Biden's announcement of his administration's decision to sharply increase tariffs on Chinese imports linked to a number of sectors of the economy, with the new measures making it more expensive to import Chinese products valued at 18 billion dollars, notes the British edition. This has definitely angered Beijing, adds "Guardian".
The American "Washington Post" brings to the fore Vladimir Putin's expressed gratitude to Xi Jinping for support in Russia's war in Ukraine. The two have tried to create an image of their relationship as a tool for the creation of "a world order different from the one dictated by the United States,", the publication wrote.
"Washington Post" adds that Putin and Xi oppose the liberal democratic order on many fronts: Western governments are pressuring Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine, and Beijing to stop supporting the war, diplomatically and materially, while China is accused of unfair trade practices practices that disrupt the world economic order. The American newspaper also draws attention to the words of the Russian president that Moscow will deepen its relations with China with mechanisms that have "reliable protection against the influence of third countries", referring mainly to Washington.
At the same time in. "The New York Times" points out that the Russian leader has called for stronger economic ties in China as Russian forces seek to accelerate their offensive in Ukraine. As his army advances and he stabilizes himself on the domestic political scene, Putin is pursuing another acquisition in Beijing - more help from his "dear friend" Si, this American publication points out.
Putin relies on Xi for a "diplomatic umbrella" with regard to US sanctions, David Pearson and Paul Sohn point out in their article in the "New York Times". Last but not least comes the financial aid, which includes a large-scale purchase of Russian oil. "The New York Times" however, he believes that Putin will still need significant military support for the offensive on Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv, and that is exactly what he is looking for in China.