Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed the "boundless partnership" between China and Russia in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, on the third anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported, BTA reports.
The call came as U.S. President Donald Trump called for a quick deal to end the war in Ukraine, raising questions about the possibility that Washington could drive a wedge between China and Russia by focusing its efforts on competing with China – the world's second-largest economy.
However, Xi and Putin stressed that their alliance is sustainable and "long-term", with internal dynamics that are not subject to influence from third countries.
"Sino-Russian relations have a strong internal momentum and strategic value that are not directed at or influenced by a third party," Xi said, quoted by Chinese state media in an official statement. He added that the development strategies and foreign policies of China and Russia are "long-term" and that the two countries are "good neighbors who cannot be separated".
Regarding the war in Ukraine, Xi expressed satisfaction with the efforts made by Russia and other interested countries to defuse the crisis, mentioning Chinese initiatives, including the establishment of a group of countries called "friends of peace".
According to Shi Yinghong, a professor at the School of International Studies of Renmin University, "on the surface, everything seems normal and stable in the Sino-Russian partnership, but each side should be aware that the bilateral diplomacy between Trump and Putin can lead to differences, even if it is itself complex and unclear".
This was the second phone call between the two leaders this year, after they discussed ways to strengthen relations with the United States last month.