Why China’s Russia ties are in sharp focus as Xi Jinping visits Europe

Name: Emmanuel Macron thanks Xi Jinping for ‘commitment’ not to sell arms to Russia
Uploaded: 2024-05-08T07:43:41.000Z
Duration: 3 min 58 s
Description: Emmanuel Macron thanks Xi Jinping for ‘commitment’ not to sell arms to Russia

During joint press conference with Macron in Paris, Xi pushes back against criticism of his country for its close ties to Russia

‘Europe is concerned about the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the China-Russia relationship is creating additional challenges,’ says analyst at German think tank

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan wave from Tarbes airport in southwestern France, on Tuesday where French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Xi in the Pyrenees mountains. Photo: AFP

Laura Zhou

Published: 3:43pm, 8 May 2024Updated: 9:11pm, 8 May 2024

When Russia invaded Ukraine 26 months ago, Beijing found itself in a strategic dilemma.

On one side was Russia, a “no-limits” partner that faced similar suspicions from Western democracies. On the opposite side sat Europe, a major trading partner that saw the war as a threat to European security.

Since then, ties between Europe and Russia have become confrontational, and Beijing has tried carefully to fend off pressure so its deepening partnership with Moscow does not push Europe too far away.

With the Ukraine war high on the agenda, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s latest visit to Europe – his first in more than five years – has highlighted the pivotal role Beijing’s ties with Moscow play in Europe’s own relationship with China.

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Emmanuel Macron thanks Xi Jinping for ‘commitment’ not to sell arms to Russia

Xi, who is expected to host Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing later this month, met French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen this week. In Paris on Monday, the European pair tried to get a commitment from Beijing to take a tougher line on Russia.