Russia ‘Confident’ In Ties With China Following Xi-Blinken Visit

Following a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, the Kremlin said on Tuesday it’s confident in its ties with China and remains unconcerned about U.S. attempts to influence Chinese policy toward Russia, according to Reuters.

Blinken requested during the visit that Beijing be wary that Chinese firms could be providing Russia with technology that could aid a military operation in war efforts against Ukraine, according to Reuters. Following Blinken’s visit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is not worried about the U.S. creating problems for Moscow.

“Our strategic partnership relationship with China make us confident that [Beijing’s] development of relations with other countries will never be aimed against our country,” Peskov said, according to Reuters.

“Welcome to China”

Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as the pair meet in Beijing https://t.co/bHR1zwQU0w pic.twitter.com/SbmgZdiRu1

— Bloomberg TV (@BloombergTV) June 19, 2023

Russia – currently sanctioned by the U.S. and Europe – has turned to Beijing markets for its energy exports, as well as strengthened a relationship that could present a challenge to Western powers, according to Reuters. As of now, Beijing has maintained an “impartial position” on the war in Ukraine.

Blinken said his Beijing visit was “candid and constructive,” Reuters reported, but also confirmed that China shut down a request to reestablish military-to-military communications with the U.S. – a key goal for the visit.