Xi Jinping cannot be seen as an “honest broker” between Russia and the West, and will certainly not be seen as one by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, a UK-based expert has warned. Professor Steve Tsang was speaking on the day Xi began his three-day trip to Moscow, with no official comment from Beijing about what he was hoping to accomplish.
However, China’s foreign ministry set the tone by calling on the ICC to “respect the jurisdictional immunity” of a head of state and “avoid politicisation and double standards” after the court issued a warrant for Vladimir Putin’s arrest over allegations of Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
Prof Tsang, who is Director of the China Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, told Express.co.uk: “Xi is partisan in supporting Putin and therefore Russia, which makes him less than an honest broker.
“My take is a simple one. Xi’s policy remains essential the same as before, which is to declare neutrality, support Putin and avoid paying a price over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
Xi would use his state visit to reaffirm that support “though not without limits”, Prof Tsang explained.
JUST IN: Millions of rotting fish clog river leaving locals worried for health
“I doubt that he really understands the feelings of the government and people of Ukraine.”
China and Russia have described Xi’s trip as part of efforts to further deepen their “no-limits friendship.”
The Kremlin has welcomed China’s peace plan for Ukraine and said it would be discussed talks between Putin and Xi that will begin over dinner on Monday.
Beijing has called for a ceasefire, but Washington strongly rejected the idea as the effective ratification of the Kremlin’s battlefield gains.
China looks to Russia as a source of oil and gas for its energy-hungry economy and as a partner in opposing what both see as American domination of global affairs.
