China’s Top Diplomat Says Russia Ties ‘Rock Solid’

China top diplomat, Wang Yi. (Reuters)
China top diplomat, Wang Yi. (Reuters)
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China’s Top Diplomat Says Russia Ties ‘Rock Solid’

China top diplomat, Wang Yi. (Reuters)
China top diplomat, Wang Yi. (Reuters)

China's top diplomat told one of President Vladimir Putin's closest allies on Tuesday that Beijing's relationship with Moscow was "rock solid" and would withstand any test in a changing international situation.

China's "no limits" partnership with Russia has come under scrutiny in the West after the United States said it was concerned that Beijing might be considering supplying weapons to Russia a year since the invasion of Ukraine.

At a meeting in Moscow, Wang Yi told Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia's powerful Security Council, that he looked forward to discussions about security.

"Chinese-Russian relations are mature in character: they are rock solid and will withstand any test in a changing international situation," Wang told "Comrade" Patrushev through a Russian interpreter in remarks aired on state television.

Wang said Russia and China should work out new joint steps to ensure the security of both countries, without elaborating.

Patrushev, who is close to Putin, told "Comrade" Wang that Beijing was a top priority for Russian foreign policy and that the two countries must stick together against the West.

"In the context of a campaign that is being waged by the collective West to contain both Russia and China, the further deepening of Russian-Chinese cooperation and interaction in the international arena is of particular importance," RIA cited Patrushev.

Xi visit?

Chinese President Xi Jinping is preparing to visit Moscow for a summit with Putin in the coming months, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the plan.

Preparations for the trip are at an early stage and the timing has not been finalized, the WSJ said, adding that Xi could visit in April or early May, when Russia celebrates its World War Two victory over Germany.

Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has triggered one of the deadliest European conflicts since World War Two and the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

The war began just weeks after Putin and Xi declared a "no limits" partnership.

Xi has stood by Putin, resisting Western pressure to isolate Russia. Chinese-Russian trade has soared since the invasion of Ukraine, and Russia has sold Asian powers including China greater volumes of oil.

Putin and Xi share a broad world view which sees the West as decadent and in decline just as China challenges US supremacy in everything from technology to espionage and military power.

The United States casts China and Russia as the two biggest nation-state threats to its security. China is viewed by Washington as the gravest long-term "strategic competitor" and Russia as an "acute threat".

"I want to confirm our continued support for Beijing over the issues of Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong," Patrushev said.

Wang was due to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday as part of the visit to Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said he does not rule out a meeting between Wang and Putin, saying "there is lots to talk about".



Iranians Torn Between Harris, Trump

 Iranian women pass in front of an anti-US mural on a street in Tehran, Iran November 6, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
Iranian women pass in front of an anti-US mural on a street in Tehran, Iran November 6, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
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Iranians Torn Between Harris, Trump

 Iranian women pass in front of an anti-US mural on a street in Tehran, Iran November 6, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
Iranian women pass in front of an anti-US mural on a street in Tehran, Iran November 6, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

As the US election reached its final stages, opinions in Iran varied on Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican challenger, Donald Trump, as well as the potential new leadership at the White House and its impact on the complicated US-Iran relations.

Trump emerged as the winner on Wednesday.

Ahead of the elections, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said: “We don’t give much importance to the US presidential election or who wins.”

In a lengthy interview with state television, he added: “Discussions about how the election results might affect Iran’s stance on the Gaza conflict or the Palestinian issue won’t change our core positions, although there may be some tactical shifts.”

Tuesday’s newspaper front pages showed caution and anticipation as Americans went to the polls.

Alongside the election coverage, comments from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian about an economic war dominated headlines, with many newspapers refraining from direct commentary on global events.

Iran’s former ambassador to Germany Ali Majedi said on Monday: “Iran is engaged in an economic war.”

“We want missiles for self-defense, not to attack other countries,” he added.

This came after Majedi signaled that Iran was open to easing its response to Israel if it rethinks its actions and agrees to a ceasefire.

The reformist newspaper Ham Mihan warned that if Harris is elected, the region, including Iran, could face more challenges, especially with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s aggressive policies.

The paper also pointed out that Biden’s administration failed to make significant progress in reaching a deal with Iran, blaming a lack of coordination and political weakness in his party.

The hardline Kayhan newspaper criticized Majedi’s comments about possibly negotiating with Trump, saying he had abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed tough conditions on negotiations.

In an interview with Shargh, Majedi said that Harris’s approach to the Middle East is more “humanitarian and flexible,” and predicted that a return of Trump could worsen tensions.

He also believed that under Harris, there might be a better chance for nuclear talks, as Biden had tried to revive the deal.

However, Majedi noted that Trump could act independently, unlike Harris, Obama, and Biden, who follow Democratic Party policies. This could mean Trump would take a different, more personal approach in dealing with Iran.