[Epoch Times, September 13, 2022](The Epoch Times reporter Zhang Ting comprehensive report) Li Zhanshu, the third-ranking figure of the CCP and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, visited Russia last week. What attracted the attention of experts is that there are great differences in the statements issued by China and Russia in response to the visit. The Russian side emphasized that Li Zhanshu supported Russia in attacking Ukraine in his speech and was willing to provide assistance, while the Chinese statement did not mention Ukraine at all.
Another major difference between the Sino-Russian statements is the Taiwan question.
Li Zhanshu, a close ally of Xi Jinping, started his visit to Russia from September 7th to 10th, first in Vladivostok (Vladivostok, also known as Vladivostok), Russia to attend the Eastern Economic Forum and meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and then in Vladivostok (Vladivostok, also known as Vladivostok), Russia. Moscow held talks with State Duma President Vyacheslav Volodin and Federation Council President Valentina Matviyenko respectively, and met with the heads of the five major groups of the State Duma.
Chinese and Russian declarations differ greatly
During the visit, Li made clear support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to a statement from the Russian parliament, but the Chinese statement did not contain those claims. Moreover, these claims also run counter to Beijing’s ongoing efforts to create apparent “neutrality” in the Russia-Ukraine war.
During the meeting, Li Zhanshu assured that “China understands and supports Russia on issues concerning Russia’s vital interests, especially the situation in Ukraine,” according to a statement from the Russian State Duma.
“We see that the United States and its NATO allies are expanding their presence near Russia’s borders, seriously threatening (Russian) national security and the lives of Russian citizens. We fully understand the need for all measures Russia is taking to protect its critical interests. sex, we are providing our assistance,” Li Zhanshu was quoted as saying in the Duma statement.
“With Ukraine, we have seen how they (the US and NATO) have put Russia in an extremely difficult situation. In this case, Russia has made an important choice and responded firmly,” the statement quoted Li Zhanshu said.
Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, when Western countries condemned the CCP’s inaction in helping to end the war, Beijing has always emphasized its so-called “neutrality”, but CCP officials have never publicly endorsed Russia’s need for a war, nor have they acknowledged that Beijing wants to. “provide assistance”.
The U.S. has warned China of consequences if it provides Russia with substantial aid, including military equipment.
In the CCP’s official statement on Li Zhanshu’s visit to Russia on September 10, there is no need for the CCP to explicitly endorse the Russian invasion. In the CCP’s version, Li Zhanshu can’t find any statement about Ukraine.
“The Chinese side is willing to continue to work with the Russian side to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns,” Li Zhanshu said in an official news release released by Xinhua.
The Chinese statement shows that during separate meetings with Russian State Duma Chairman Volodin and Federation Council Chairman Matviyenko, Li Zhanshu condemned Western sanctions against Russia and urged China and Russia to strengthen cooperation, “anti-interference, Anti-sanctions, anti-long-arm jurisdiction”.
Another major difference between the Sino-Russian statements is the Taiwan question. The Chinese statement also said that Li Zhanshu thanked Russia for its firm support to China on the Taiwan issue. Both Volodin and Matvienko again condemned Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
The Duma statement said that Russia condemned the U.S. action against China, but did not mention the Taiwan issue.
Differences between Sino-Russian statements draw experts’ attention
While it is not uncommon for the Communist Party to omit high-level meetings in official news releases, significant discrepancies between Beijing and Moscow’s statements have caught the attention of experts.
Brian Hart, a researcher with the China Power Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, tweeted on September 11: “The Russian version (on the Russia-Ukraine issue) is stronger than any Chinese version. The version goes even further. If they don’t make that clear to Beijing, it could really anger some people in Beijing.”
In the past week, the Ukrainian army has launched a counterattack against the Russian army using weapons provided by the United States and European countries. As the Ukrainian army approached, the Russian army continued to withdraw its troops from the Kharkiv region and dropped a large amount of weapons and ammunition. On September 10, Russian troops were forced to flee the strategic city of Izyum following a swift Ukrainian counterattack. The city has been the main bastion of Russian troops in northeastern Ukraine for several months. It was Moscow’s worst defeat since its retreat from Kyiv in March and a sign that the war may be entering a new phase.
Moscow is using Li Zhanshu’s visit to play up Beijing’s support for the invasion, as Russian troops have been losing ground in Ukraine for days and at the same time that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are due to meet this week. The CCP, in turn, has used Russia to support its military provocation against Taiwan.
Li Zhanshu’s visit to Russia to pave the way for the General Conference
Some analysts believe that Li Zhanshu met Putin on the sidelines of an economic forum in Russia, which may pave the way for Xi and Putin to meet at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Russia’s ambassador to China Andrey Denisov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said separately last week that Putin was expected to meet Xi at the summit. Ushakov said the meeting would be “very important,” but gave no further details.
Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the Financial Times that while China may not risk violating Western sanctions to help Russia, Li Zhanshu said that The message of the second visit to Russia is that Beijing will never turn its back on Russia.
“If it’s neutral, then it’s definitely pro-Russian neutral,” Gabuev said.
Responsible editor: Lin Yan#