“China is a pivotal major power,” said Ren Xiao, a professor at Fudan University’s Institute of International Studies (IIS) in Shanghai, who pointed to the order of the calls. Xi held a virtual meeting with Putin before speaking with Trump later that evening.
“The order of the calls reflects close coordination and communication between Beijing and Moscow,” he said.
China was underscoring the re-emergence of great-power politics, with Washington, Beijing and Moscow once again dominating global calculations, experts said.
DIVERGENT MESSAGES
Official readouts from Beijing, Moscow and Washington underscored sharply different priorities.
According to reports published by Chinese state media outlets, Xi and Putin held a virtual meeting on Wednesday that was broadcast from the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and the Kremlin in Moscow respectively.
“Xi extended New Year greetings to Putin and the Russian people … Putin wished Xi and the Chinese people a happy Spring Festival, vibrant energy and immediate success in all endeavours,” read a report by the Xinhua state news agency.
“Xi said China and Russia should work together to maintain global strategic stability as the international situation has become increasingly turbulent since the beginning of the year,” the Xinhua report read.
Putin “expressed full confidence in Russia-China relations”, the report said, also adding that “both sides should continue to support each other steadfastly in safeguarding their national sovereignty and security”.
Russian state media reports framed Xi and Putin’s exchange as warm and friendly – with Putin describing the China-Russia relationship as being “in an eternal bloom”.
“Xi sees Putin as a good friend and is ready to move dialogue between the two forward,” TASS, Russia’s state news agency, reported.
According to TASS, Putin had called cooperation between the two countries exemplary while Xi said China and Russia were “successfully defending global justice and relations are entering a new stage of development”.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/xi-jinping-putin-trump-phone-call-china-russia-us-relations-5911881
