Hong Kong
Act Daily News
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China’s prime diplomat will go to Russia this month, in keeping with its Foreign Ministry, within the first go to to the nation from a Chinese official in that position since Moscow’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Wang Yi, who was named Chinese chief Xi Jinping’s prime overseas coverage adviser final month, will go to Russia throughout an eight-day worldwide tour beginning Tuesday that will even embody visits to France, Italy, Hungary and a talking engagement on the Munich Security Conference this coming weekend, which US Secretary of State Antony Blinken might also attend.
The overseas itinerary is Wang’s first after leaving his publish as Foreign Minister and taking on his new position, and it may present a check of the diplomat’s means in balancing Beijing’s shut ties with Moscow, whereas additionally making an attempt to spice up China’s picture and relations in Europe – and by extension the United States.
Wang’s attendance on the Munich Security Conference, which Blinken is anticipated to attend, may provide an opportunity for the 2 to satisfy in particular person for the primary time since US-China tensions once more flared after a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon entered American airspace late final month.
The fallout from the balloon has been swift, with Washington accusing China of overseeing a world surveillance program – and Beijing denying these claims and in flip accusing the US of “illegally” flying high-altitude balloons into its airspace greater than 10 occasions for the reason that begin of final yr. China maintains the balloon, which US forces recognized after which downed earlier this month, is a civilian analysis plane unintentionally blown off beam.
The incident additionally had a right away influence on what had been seen as a chance for the US and China to stabilize relations, as Blinken postponed an anticipated early February go to to Beijing after US officers introduced they had been monitoring the gadget.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price on Monday declined to substantiate that Blinken would attend the Munich convention and mentioned there was no assembly with a Chinese official scheduled. He famous, nonetheless, that the US was “always assessing options for diplomacy,” together with assembly in third international locations.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin didn’t point out any potential assembly with Blinken when saying Wang Yi’s journey plans throughout a press briefing on Monday.
Wang’s itinerary would carry a chance for China to work for “new progress in bilateral relations” with France, Italy and Hungary, in addition to “promote China-EU strategic mutual trust,” the spokesperson mentioned.
China’s relationship with Europe has come beneath vital stress within the wake of the Ukraine conflict. Beijing has refused to sentence the invasion outright or assist quite a few measures in opposition to it within the United Nations. China has additionally continued to associate with the Russian army throughout massive scale workout routines, whereas boosting its commerce and gas purchases from Moscow.
According to China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Wang’s go to to Moscow will present a chance for China and Russia to proceed to develop their strategic partnership and “exchange views” on “international and regional hotspot issues of shared interest” – a catch-all phrase typically used to allude to subjects together with the conflict in Ukraine.
The Foreign Ministry didn’t specify whether or not Wang would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“China is ready to take this visit as an opportunity and work with Russia to promote steady growth of bilateral relations in the direction identified by the two heads of state, defend the legitimate rights and interests of both sides, and play an active role for world peace,” spokesman Wang Wenbin mentioned.
Wang’s go to might also foreshadow a state go to by Chinese chief Xi Jinping to Moscow later this yr. Putin prolonged an invite to Xi throughout a customary end-of-year name between the 2 leaders, however China’s Foreign Ministry has but to substantiate any plans.
Source: www.cnn.com