When Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, visits Beijing in the near future, it will be the first visit to China by a US secretary of state since 2018. In comparison, one year prior, Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to the capital for the Beijing Olympics, signaling a “no limits” partnership between the two nations. Despite claiming impartiality in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and denying prior knowledge of Russia’s invasion, China refused to condemn Moscow and echoed Kremlin blaming NATO. In the present, as the country’s economy has been drained by its failed zero-Covid strategy, China has been working to stabilize its relationships with Western governments through increased diplomacy.
Analysts predict that during Blinken’s trip and potential visits from European leaders in the coming months, Chinese counterparts will emphasize their calls for peaceful resolution and claim China’s “objective and impartial position” on the conflict. However, trade, diplomatic engagements, and joint military exercises with Russia show that China has continued to strengthen its “no limits” partnership with Russia. This relationship is seen as key to maintaining national security and countering a US-led world order.
The Biden administration has warned China of consequences for supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but US intelligence officials have not seen evidence of China providing lethal aid. A few Chinese companies have been blacklisted by the US in connection with the conflict, but most have avoided violating US and ally sanctions against Moscow. Beijing has stressed its desire to play a constructive role in resolving the conflict and has expanded trade with Russia, with a record 1.28 trillion yuan ($190 billion) last year. Xi has called for the two countries to enhance strategic coordination and continue to be each other’s development opportunity and global partner. The security relationship between China and Russia has also continued to grow, with joint military exercises and China’s purchase of Russian oil and coal.
