 "6 things to know about Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang’s visit to Russia and Belarus – Firstpost")
The visit will be attended by several important politicians who have a major influence, directly or indirectly, on the course of the war in Ukraine. It not only sends a clear signal to the West, but could also lead to economic and geopolitical developments.
read more
Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang began his visit to Russia and Belarus on Tuesday (20 August).
From the leaders involved to the purpose of his visit to the signal he sends to the West, here are six things you should know about Li’s trip:
1. Who are the managers involved?
The visit will be attended by the most important heads of state and government: Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko.
2. What is the purpose of these visits? What are the discussions about?
The aim of the visits is to further deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia and to strengthen relations with Belarus.
According to Xinhua, the talks will focus on bilateral relations, practical cooperation in various fields such as trade, economy, energy and emerging sectors such as technological innovation and cross-border e-commerce.
In addition, the heads of state and government will discuss important geopolitical issues and implement the strategic guidelines of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
3. Why is the timing of the visit important?
The visit coincides with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia. More importantly, it comes immediately after Ukrainian troops invaded the Russian border region of Kursk. It is the first high-level Chinese visit to Russia since that incident.
The timing is important not only to show support to Moscow in the face of growing pressure, but also to discuss with Beijing the implications of Ukraine’s recent offensive.
Belarus, on the other hand, only became an official full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) last month, thus saying goodbye to the observer status it had held since 2015. At about the same time as the NATO summit was taking place, China and Belarus also demonstrated their firepower in exercises near the Polish border.
Significantly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the leader of China’s regional rival India, is visiting Poland and Ukraine around the same time, highlighting New Delhi’s influence and ambitions in building geopolitical relations.
4. What signal is being sent to the West?
The visit sends a clear signal to the West that China remains steadfast in its support for Russia despite Western criticism and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It demonstrates China’s willingness to maintain and even strengthen its strategic partnership with Russia in line with its own interests, regardless of external pressures or geopolitical tensions.
5. What economic and geopolitical impact do the visits have?
Economically, the visits are likely to lead to deeper trade and investment ties between China and Russia, particularly in sectors such as energy, manufacturing and technological innovation. Growing economic interdependence could help both countries mitigate the impact of Western sanctions and economic constraints.
Geopolitically, the visits reinforce China and Russia’s focus on countering Western influence and promoting a multipolar world order. By strengthening ties with Russia and Belarus, China is cementing its presence and influence in the region, which could have far-reaching implications for global power dynamics and ongoing geopolitical rivalry with the West.
6. Do China and Russia form a broad alliance?
According to DW, Li’s visits to Russia and Belarus will underscore an expanding alliance in which Beijing and
