China lauds Russia relations and calls for strengthened Asia-Pacific role
China has expressed its appreciation for the robust historical ties with Russia and has called for an enhanced collaborative effort on matters of security, stability, and development in the Asia-Pacific region.
In a statement issued on Wednesday following Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong's visit to Moscow, the Chinese foreign ministry urged both nations to assume a "better role as an anchor of stability in the changing circumstances of the century."
Despite concerns about strained relations with the West, Beijing has refrained from condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, maintaining warm ties between the two BRICS states during the ongoing conflict.
Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong emphasized in the statement that, "under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Putin relations between the two countries are at the best period in history."
However, such assertions are likely to raise eyebrows in the West, where growing ties between Moscow and Beijing have been viewed with increased apprehension over the past couple of years, particularly in trade and defense.
Tensions have escalated as Chinese companies face blacklisting by the United States and the European Union for their involvement in aiding Russia to evade trade sanctions. Despite Western concerns, Moscow has sought economic support from Beijing amid sanctions, and China, in turn, has benefited from cost-effective energy imports and access to extensive natural resources. The evolving dynamics between China and Russia continue to draw attention and scrutiny on the global stage.