No, Beijing is not re-evaluating its close ties to Moscow. -- China Boss update 6.24.22
Update -- *No update Friday July 1, newsletter Monday, July 4
What happened.
“Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 celebrated his 69th birthday by holding a bilateral phone call with Vladimir Putin,” SupChina reported. “The two sides presented different interpretations of the same phone call” with Moscow portraying the communication as if Beijing staunchly supports its war in Ukraine, while “Beijing’s own statement treaded cautiously around the Ukraine issue,” writers said.
SupChina:
Similarly, Chinese state media emphasized Russia’s support on “so-called issues” regarding Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Taiwan; Moscow’s readout of the call didn’t directly or obliquely reference these matters. Despite different interpretations and emphases, the call is significant: Xi appears to be at least contemplating more overt and substantive support for Putin.
Emphasis added.
Why it matters.
Wolf warrior or apologist - it’s still disinformation
Although no news analyst or government representative will be named here, China Boss is growing weary of efforts to whitewash Chinese president Xi Jinping’s bromance with Vladimir Putin. Those odd spins square too neatly with Beijing’s own narrative which aims to muddy the waters on the Chinese leader’s involvement in the latter’s invasion of Ukraine. A personal favorite is Zhao Lijian’s March 17th remark that, on the Ukraine issue, “China’s position is aboveboard, objective and just.” We all saw Putin put off murdering and raping Ukranians until after the Beijing Winter Olympics’ Closing Ceremony, Lijian. A perfect 10 on timing, that.
But by continuing diplomatic and economic support of a “strategic partner” who violates international norms and commits war crimes against innocents in a peaceful, neighboring country, China can be held morally and legally accountable for the worst of Russia’s transgressions. Four months into the attack on Ukraine, which many experts and officials think is the biggest mistake of Vladimir Putin’s political career, President Xi has had plenty of opportunities to come to a different realization and walk away, or - even - take a small step back from the Mother of all Russian train wrecks. But he’s done neither. Why? Could be he’s counting on the West’s arms supplies to dwindle so he can slice Taiwan, a-la-Crimea.
Beijing is NOT re-evaluating its close ties to Moscow
At any rate, “[t]he latest Putin-Xi exchange should put to bed any speculation that Beijing is reevaluating its close ties to Moscow,” Hemant Adlakha said in The Diplomat last week. Adlakha wrote his commentary to refute a trending theory among some news outlets and officials that President Xi’s removal of Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng from his post “meant that he was being blamed for his inaccurate assessment of Russia’s war in Ukraine,” and “being held responsible for pushing China too close to Russia.” “In other words, in the opinion of the media and the leaders in the West, Le’s removal was a sign of Beijing softening its support to Moscow for the fear of ‘major reputational damage… in Europe,’” Adlakha said.
Adlakha, The Diplomat:
But Xi’s decision to chat with Putin on the former’s birthday, or more specifically the substance of the conversation, has once again proved how far removed the Western understanding is from the Chinese reality, especially when it comes to China’s foreign policy moves or its leader’s actions. By calling up Putin and assuring him of further development of economic, military, and defense ties between the two countries at a time when the Russian presence in Ukraine is not showing any sign of ending, Xi has not only totally ignored the Western warnings but he has also put to rest speculations that the image of China moving too close to Russia has been causing concern in Beijing.
… Xi’s commitment to Putin, as is evident from the readouts issued by both Beijing and Moscow, is in fact a further continuation of what Le said after meeting with the Russian envoy in Beijing in April. “China is committed to strengthening strategic coordination with Russia,” Le had reassured Andrey Ivanovich Denisov, “regardless of how the international landscape may change.”
Finally, consider the timing of Xi’s phone call to Putin, which came on the eve of a European summit aimed at putting up a good show of solidarity with Ukraine and just two weeks before a NATO summit that is expected to underscore the potential challenge from China to the North Atlantic alliance for the first time. Don’t forget, Japan and South Korea have both been invited for the first time to the June 29 NATO summit to be held in Madrid.
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*A reminder that there will be no update or newsletter on Friday, July 1st and Monday, July 4th. China Boss is driving to Portugal. :)