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Xi's mask slips as true relationship with Putin exposed despite effort to charm Europe
Xi's true relationship with Vladimir Putin has been exposed by a geo-political analyst
detailing how the Chinese Communist Party's elite is responding to the invasion of Ukraine.
By TIM MCNULTY
14:15, Wed, Jan 11, 2023 | UPDATED: 14:19, Wed, Jan 11, 2023
Xi Jinping's approach to dealing with Vladimir Putin since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine
back a year ago has been unpacked by a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
He believes Chinese diplomats are looking to "spin" the relationship between Beijing and Moscow
so as to not isolate European leaders, while Xi looks to use China's increasing power over a weakened Russia for the Chinese Government's own ends.
"After securing his third term, Xi does a course correction on foreign policy and tries to win back friends in Europe.
"This includes efforts to distance China from Russia, because China's leadership sees that China's reluctance to criticize the Kremlin and join Western sanctions is viewed in Europe as tacit support for Putin's brutal war effort.
"Putin is crazy,” says one Chinese official, who declined to be identified.
Russia's actions in Ukraine have put a strain on its relations with China
Russia's actions in Ukraine have put a strain on its relations with China (Image: Getty)
He continues "Chinese diplomats want to spin it the way they do in talking to EU audiences.
The 'Putin is crazy' quote shouldn't shock as it reflects a pretty widespread attitude towards Putin's impulsiveness and emotionality among many Chinese officials including people working on Russia [..] at least since the 2014 annexation of Crimea."
He believes that Xi sees the relationship with Russia as only part of the problems fueling China's tension with the West.
He explained: "China knows that its problems with the West are not rooted in Xi's bromance with Putin,
but in issues like Chinese-US rivalry, Taiwan, tech, etc.
"Even if Xi drops Putin under the bus, ties with the US will not structurally improve absent China's fundamental change
to US liking. However, the EU is somewhat different.
"Having survived a crash course in decoupling from Russia, major EU economies don't want to go that road with China, at least for now.
"Amid fears of a recession in the eurozone, German, French, and Italian leaders rush to Beijing to secure market access, new deals, etc."
He added: "This gives China a slight opening to drive a wedge between US and Europe,
capitalizing on other disputes between them,
and delaying the cementation of the anti-China tech coalition led by the US. thus buying
Beijing the precious time of having access to European tech, money, and markets.
"In order to create additional reasons for EU leaders to go to China
and strike deals there, Beijing is using the Russia/Ukraine card.