From: NZZ BY Katrin Büchenbacher
When Russia’s president began his state visit to China on Thursday, his objectives were clear. It was not for nothing that he decided to take his new defense minister with him. Vladimir Putin wants to solicit even more Chinese support for his war in Ukraine.
China’s head of state, Xi Jinping, will probably continue to avoid promising him any weapons. China wants to avoid subjecting itself to massive Western sanctions. At the same time, China’s business sector wants to benefit from the expansion of trade with Russia, which serves Putin’s war aims. Chinese companies will therefore continue to export large quantities of goods that help the Russian arms industry.
China is profiting from the war
With this strategy, the Chinese are killing a handful of birds with one stone. Beijing is deepening its partnership with Russia in the fundamental conflict with the United States. At the same time, with a variety of assurances and gestures, it is satisfying Europe’s wishful thinking that China has an interest in peace in Ukraine. Europe wants to believe that Xi would be prepared, under certain conditions, to push Putin to end his war.
Voice of Ukraine 