President Xi Jinping Affirms No-Border Partnership With Russia

Chinese President Xi Jinping With Russian President Vladimir Putin/DOK PHOTO Alexei Maishev/POOL/TASS

JAKARTA - Chinese President Xi Jinping confirmed a "infinity" partnership by phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

The two country leaders held negotiations as US President Donald Trump pushed for a quick deal to end Ukraine's war, thereby increasing Washington's prospects for creating a split between Xi and Putin and focusing on competing with the world's second-largest economy.

The call appears aimed at eliminating such prospects - the two leaders underlined the resilience and "long-term" nature of their alliance, with its own "internal dynamics" that will not be affected by "third parties".

China-Russia relations have strong internal driving force and unique strategic value, and are not aimed at, nor are they influenced by any third party, Xi said, according to a Chinese state media release reported by Reuters on Monday, February 24.

China's long-term development and foreign policy strategy and Russia, Xi said, stressing that the two countries are good neighbors who cannot be separated.

Trump has alarmed Washington's allies in Europe by not involving them and Ukraine in talks with Russia last week and blamed Ukraine for the Russian invasion in 2022.

Regarding Ukraine, Xi said China was "happy to see the positive efforts made by Russia and all parties concerned to defuse this crisis," and noted China's initiatives such as forming a group of countries called "peacemates".

Everything looks normal and doesn't seem to have happened in the China-Russia partnership, but both sides should know a lot of things can be different after Trump-Putin bilateral diplomacy, although it is very confusing and uncertain," said Shi Yinhong, professor at the School of International Studies, Renmin University.

This is the second conversation the two leaders have had this year, after they discussed how to build relations with Trump in January.

China and Russia declared an "infinite" strategic partnership, days before Putin sent tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in February 2022.

Xi has met Putin more than 40 times in the past decade and Putin has in recent months described China as a 'catty'.

Beijing refused to condemn Moscow for its role in the war, thus exacerbating their relationship with Europe and the United States.

The two sides also discussed preparations for the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War. Earlier this month Xi accepted Russian invitations to attend the event.