China Welcomes Strengthening Ties Between the US and Russia
On Thursday, China expressed its pleasure at the strengthening of ties between the United States and Russia, following a statement from US President Donald Trump regarding his anticipated meeting with his Russian counterpart to discuss peace initiatives concerning Ukraine.
Trump stated that he had a «lengthy and very productive» conversation with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday - their first confirmed contact since Trump's return to office - and agreed to «immediately» commence negotiations to end the conflict.
«The US and Russia are significant global players. China is pleased to see them enhancing cooperation and dialogue on various international issues,» said Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang at a press briefing.
On Thursday, referencing unnamed sources in Beijing and Washington, the Wall Street Journal reported that Chinese officials recently reached out to the US administration through intermediaries to propose a summit between Trump and Putin.
This proposal reportedly would «facilitate peace efforts following a potential ceasefire,» but, as noted by the American newspaper, it did not include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The publication reported that a White House official dismissed the Beijing proposal as «absolutely unviable.» Responding to a question about this report during a press briefing, Geng stated he had no additional information to offer.
Long-time socialist allies with a tumultuous history, China and Russia have grown closer in recent years in diplomatic, military, and economic realms.
Since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Beijing has sought to portray itself as a neutral party in the conflict.
Western nations, including the US, have supported Ukraine and criticized China's reluctance to condemn Russia, but Trump's return to power has raised questions about Washington's stance.
Geng stated on Thursday that «China has always believed that dialogue and negotiations are the only possible way to resolve the crisis (in Ukraine) and has consistently advocated for promoting peaceful negotiations.»
