Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday underscored the value of Beijing’s friendship treaty with Moscow during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, calling ties “particularly precious” and urging deeper cooperation, mutual support, closer coordination and joint defense of shared interests, Chinese state media reported.
Lavrov said Russia stands ready to help shore up energy supplies disrupted by the conflict involving Iran, including constraints on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. At a news conference in China he said Russia could “make up for the resource shortfall facing both China and other countries that are interested in working with us on an equal and mutually beneficial basis.” Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China soon.
Amid regional turmoil following recent US and Israeli actions related to Iran, China has presented itself as a stabilizing actor and potential mediator. This week Xi held talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Vietnamese leader To Lam, reflecting intensified diplomatic activity and Beijing’s expanding role in managing the crisis.
Analysts say Gulf states hope China will deploy its influence over Tehran to curb attacks on neighbors and bring Iran back to the negotiating table. “China has got leverage and influence over Iran, and there are some hopes and expectations that China can use this influence in a more direct way,” Dylan Loh, an associate professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, told AFP.
Edited by: Rana Taha