China to Promote Strategic Ties With Russia, Support Shift Towards Multipolarity

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and China’s leader Xi Jinping held two face-to-face meetings in 2023, voicing shared concerns over the bellicose actions of the US and its NATO allies, and sending an important signal that the arrival of the “multipolar world” was now “irreversible.”

China will continue to deepen trust and mutually beneficial strategic cooperation with Russia, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.

"Between cooperation and confrontation, we unwaveringly choose cooperation. The relationship between major powers impacts global stability and China has always believed that major powers should have high aspirations and bear great responsibility," Wang Yi said as he addressed a seminar in Beijing on the international situation and China’s foreign relations in 2023.

For this reason, Wang pointed out, China will always oppose confrontation between major powers and unswervingly promote healthy interaction between them.

"We continue to deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation between China and Russia, promote the further development of our countries, support the world's movement towards multipolarity, and promote the democratization of international relations," China’s top diplomat stated.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks during a seminar on International Situation and China's Diplomacy in 2023, at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing on January 9, 2024.

© AFP 2023 / PEDRO PARDO

Speaking at the annual wrap-up of China’s diplomatic activities over the past year and preview of the objectives for the coming year, the minister noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping chose Russia for his first foreign trip after being re-elected for a third term in 2022.

On March 20-22, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a three-day visit to Moscow at the invitation of Vladimir Putin. The meeting of the two leaders was hailed by international observers as ushering in dramatic geopolitical changes, shifting the focus from unilateral hegemony to a more cooperative, equal and democratic world order.

“With a high level of mutual trust and under the strategic leadership of the leaders of China and Russia, we must practice genuine multilateralism, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, and maintain global strategic stability," said Wang Yi.

Xi and Putin met twice during the year. At the end of 2023, when Russian President Vladimir Putin sent New Year's greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping, he underscored that the two Russia-China summits in March and October "gave a powerful impetus to the development of the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between the two countries in all areas."

The Chinese foreign minister underscored his country’s stance regarding the practice of resorting to illegal sanctions pressure by the West, adding that the People's Republic of China (PRC) opposes the monopoly of a minority of countries in international affairs.

“We resolutely oppose hegemony and brute force politics," said Wang Yi. He reiterated that China calls for the lifting of all illegally imposed unilateral sanctions.

BRICS & Fair Global Governance

BRICS, after enlargement, will contribute to the development of the global governance system in "a fair and reasonable direction," Wang Yi said on Tuesday.

In August 2023, the 15th top-level BRICS summit in Johannesburg extended invitations to Egypt, as well as Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia to join the bloc. Their full membership took effect on January 1, 2024, except for Argentina, which abandoned its plans to join the group under its new president, Javier Milei.

According to Wang, the expansion of the association will increase the representation and voice of the Global South in international affairs.

At the start of the year, the Chinese Foreign Ministry doubled down on this stance, with its spokesman saying that Beijing is fully confident in BRICS’s bright future after expansion.

"Let me make it very clear that we are fully confident in the BRICS’ future," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a briefing, proceeding to say "You mentioned the fact that BRICS now has 10 member states. That shows exactly its bright prospect."

BRICS's expansion "serves the common aspiration of emerging markets and developing countries, and follows the global trend towards multipolarity," the spokesman said. He voiced Beijing's intention to work with BRICS members and "strive for new results in greater BRICS cooperation."