The Chinese president has warned that “Cold War mentality” and “one-sided hegemony” persist in the international arena
China’s President Xi Jinping. © Sergei BOBYLYOV/AFP
Bloc politics resembling that seen during the Cold War poses a serious threat to global security, Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned. He said the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine were consequences of such an approach.
Xi made the remarks during a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Beijing on Thursday. It was Putin’s first state visit since he took office for the fifth time earlier this month.
Speaking at a joint press conference, the Chinese president said: “In today’s world, Cold War mentality is still raging. Unilateral hegemony, bloc confrontation, and power politics pose a direct threat to the entire world and the security of all countries.”
He called for an “immediate” end to Israeli-Palestinian hostilities based on a two-state solution. He also advocated political resolution as the preferred outcome of the Ukraine conflict.
“China hopes for the swift restoration of peace on the European continent and is ready to continue its constructive role,” Xi stated.
He concluded by emphasizing the need for a “new, balanced, effective and stable security architecture.”
According to the Chinese president, ties between Beijing and Moscow are a “model of relations between large powers and neighboring states, characterized by mutual respect, trust [and] friendship.”
President Putin said his country’s partnership with China was “based on the multipolar realities and international law,” and was “one of the main stabilizing factors on the international stage.” He added that relations between China and Russia “are not aimed against anyone.”
Unlike the West, China has not blamed Russia for the Ukraine crisis, arguing instead that NATO’s continued eastward expansion was one of the root causes of the escalation. Beijing has also refused to impose sanctions on Moscow.
Last year, China presented its own 12-point roadmap for peace in Ukraine. Speaking last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hailed Beijing’s proposal as the “clearest” of all put forward by various countries to date. He described it as “sensible,” noting that – unlike Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s peace formula, which has been endorsed by the West – China’s plan looked at the root causes of the conflict.
