China’s Wang Yi meets Lavrov in Moscow for security talks

• China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, is in Russia for security talks.
• Wang Yi is expected to meet with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, and discuss the Ukraine conflict.
• The US has accused China of providing economic and technological support to Russia.

China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, is currently in Russia for discussions on security matters, amid Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine and allegations of indirect Chinese support for Moscow, which China denies.

This visit follows a recent meeting between Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, which was speculated to involve potential arms deals.

Reports from Russian media suggest that Wang Yi’s trip is also intended to pave the way for a significant visit by President Putin to Beijing shortly.

While Putin had previously expressed his expectation to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, no specific date has been disclosed.

It’s worth noting that Putin has not traveled abroad since an International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him in March, primarily related to war crimes allegations in Ukraine.

His last foreign trip was in December 2022, when he visited Belarus and Kyrgyzstan.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that Wang Yi’s stay in Russia would span four days and focus on “strategic security consultations.”

According to Russian news agency Tass, citing the Kremlin, Wang Yi is scheduled to meet with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, with the Ukraine conflict being a central topic of discussion.

They will also address issues like the expansion of NATO forces and infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as enhancing coordination in international forums such as the United Nations.

Wang Yi’s visit follows closely after Putin’s controversial meeting with Kim Jong Un, which raised concerns in the United States about potential arms sales from North Korea to Russia.

Both Russia and North Korea claimed their discussions centered on “military cooperation” and support for Pyongyang’s satellite program.

When asked about Kim’s visit, China’s Foreign Ministry refrained from commenting, categorizing it as a matter between the two countries.

However, some analysts believe that any cooperation or support between North Korea and Russia may be occurring with China’s awareness or tacit approval, given China’s strong ties with both nations.

These relationships go beyond ideological similarities and stem from a shared distrust of the United States and Western powers.

China has historically been North Korea’s primary economic partner through trade, and it has also increased its purchases of Russian oil and gas, further strengthening its economic ties with Moscow over the past year.

Mr. Wang’s visit to Russia follows his meeting with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in Malta, which took place a day before his trip to Russia.

The discussions between Wang and Sullivan encompassed not only the US-China relationship but also touched on regional security issues and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as indicated in statements released by both the US and China.

There is a question as to whether the US might be engaging with China in an attempt to exert pressure on North Korea to cease any cooperation it may have with Russia.

However, some experts believe it’s unlikely that China would take such action. As Mr. Korolev pointed out, if China were inclined to align with the American approach, it had ample time over the past year to intervene in the conflict and attempt to halt it, but it did not do so.

The US has accused China of providing economic support to Russia and supplying critical technology since the outset of the war in Ukraine.

A US intelligence report released in July asserted that China was actively pursuing various economic support measures for Russia to counter the impact of Western sanctions and export controls.

This included increased purchases of Russian energy exports, the expanded use of its currency in transactions with Russia, and the likely provision of dual-use technology—items with both civilian and military applications, such as drones—for potential use in Ukraine.

China has consistently denied these allegations and maintains that it maintains an impartial stance regarding the conflict in Ukraine.

China has also put forth its peace proposal for Ukraine, which was unveiled during a flurry of diplomatic activity by Mr. Wang during his previous visit to Moscow, where he met with Mr. Putin.