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| Chinese Leader in Russia to Promote Economic and Military Ties | Chinese Leader in Russia to Promote Economic and Military Ties |
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| MOSCOW — President Xi Jinping of China arrived here on Friday for his first trip abroad as his country’s top leader, using talks with his counterpart, Vladimir V. Putin, to promote deeper cooperation with Russia while the United States has been shoring up ties with its own allies across the Asia-Pacific region. | |
| Despite a history of unease between the two neighbors, which share a 2,600-mile-long border, China and Russia have found increasing camaraderie in recent years in forming a bulwark against what each country, for its own reasons, often views as the liberal political juggernaut of the West. | |
| And Mr. Xi’s visit to the Kremlin, just eight days after his installation as president, sent a clear message that China can turn to its own sources of support, to partially counterbalance the United States when necessary. “China will make developing relations with Russia a priority in its foreign policy orientation,” he said in a written statement issued upon his arrival in Moscow, reported Xinhua, the Chinese state-owned news agency. | |
| The Russian government rolled out a red carpet, and state television broadcast the arrival live on Friday as Mr. Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were greeted at the airport by an honor guard. They waved and posed briefly for the cameras before being whisked downtown for the start of a busy two-day itinerary that includes meetings with President Putin and other top officials as well as a visit to a Moscow university. But the trip was also intended to be more than symbolic, with plans for the signing of a deal with Rosneft, Russia’s state-owned oil company, worth up to $30 billion. | |
| In their talks, Mr. Xi told Mr. Putin that the two governments should “resolutely support each other in efforts to protect national sovereignty, security and development interests,” Xinhua reported. For months, China has been engaged in a bitter dispute with Japan over islands in the East China Sea claimed by both countries, and Russia has been among China’s strongest diplomatic supporters in the quarrel. | |
| Mr. Xi’s reported comments did not mention Syria, Iran, North Korea or other international flash points over which China and Russia have sometimes joined forces in the United Nations Security Council to resist Western pressure for a firmer response. Mr. Xi said they would “closely coordinate in international regional affairs, protecting the shared strategic security of the two countries,” reported Xinhua. | |
| Mr. Putin thanked Mr. Xi for choosing Russia for his first trip abroad. Mr. Xi in turn talked about Russia and China as good friends who treat each other “with open souls.” | Mr. Putin thanked Mr. Xi for choosing Russia for his first trip abroad. Mr. Xi in turn talked about Russia and China as good friends who treat each other “with open souls.” |
| Mr. Putin, in an interview with the Itar-Tass News Agency timed to coincide with Mr. Xi’s arrival, stressed the countries’ shared role on the United Nations Security Council. | |
| “That is why the strategic partnership between us is of great importance on both a bilateral and global scale,” said Mr. Putin, adding that Russia-China relations were at an all-time high. “Today the Russian-Chinese relations are on the rise, they are the best in their centuries-long history. They are characterized by a high degree of mutual trust, respect for each other’s interests, support in vital issues. They are a true partnership.” | “That is why the strategic partnership between us is of great importance on both a bilateral and global scale,” said Mr. Putin, adding that Russia-China relations were at an all-time high. “Today the Russian-Chinese relations are on the rise, they are the best in their centuries-long history. They are characterized by a high degree of mutual trust, respect for each other’s interests, support in vital issues. They are a true partnership.” |
| Since returning to the presidency in May, Mr. Putin has distanced Russia from the West while putting a new focus on Asia, particularly relations with China — a point he stressed when Russia played host to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting in Vladivostok in September. | Since returning to the presidency in May, Mr. Putin has distanced Russia from the West while putting a new focus on Asia, particularly relations with China — a point he stressed when Russia played host to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting in Vladivostok in September. |
| Mr. Putin and Mr. Xi are headed to South Africa for the fifth summit meeting of the so-called Brics bloc of emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. | Mr. Putin and Mr. Xi are headed to South Africa for the fifth summit meeting of the so-called Brics bloc of emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. |
| Mr. Xi was appointed Chinese president last week, concluding a leadership transition begun when he became Communist Party chief in November. And while Mr. Xi has sought to mark himself as different from his immediate predecessor, Hu Jintao, on domestic issues, he has continued Mr. Hu’s example of wooing Russia for diplomatic support and energy supplies. Mr. Hu, too, made Russia his first foreign destination after he was appointed president, in 2003. | Mr. Xi was appointed Chinese president last week, concluding a leadership transition begun when he became Communist Party chief in November. And while Mr. Xi has sought to mark himself as different from his immediate predecessor, Hu Jintao, on domestic issues, he has continued Mr. Hu’s example of wooing Russia for diplomatic support and energy supplies. Mr. Hu, too, made Russia his first foreign destination after he was appointed president, in 2003. |
| “The fact that I will visit Russia, our friendly neighbor, shortly after assuming presidency is a testimony to the great importance China places on its relations with Russia,” Mr. Xi told a small group of invited journalists at a briefing on Tuesday in Beijing. “The two sides have had closer strategic coordination on the world stage.” | “The fact that I will visit Russia, our friendly neighbor, shortly after assuming presidency is a testimony to the great importance China places on its relations with Russia,” Mr. Xi told a small group of invited journalists at a briefing on Tuesday in Beijing. “The two sides have had closer strategic coordination on the world stage.” |
| Recently, both governments expressed misgivings about the United States’ plans to deploy 14 new missile interceptors in Alaska, where 26 of the existing 30 are already in place, in response to threats from North Korea. | Recently, both governments expressed misgivings about the United States’ plans to deploy 14 new missile interceptors in Alaska, where 26 of the existing 30 are already in place, in response to threats from North Korea. |
| The deal said to be in the works with Rosneft would potentially entail a loan of $30 billion from China, which would be repaid in oil. A similar loan for $6 billion was made in 2005 and helped finance Rosneft’s purchase of a subsidiary of Yukos, once Russia’s largest oil company. Western critics said that deal made China complicit in the Russian government’s takeover of Yukos. | The deal said to be in the works with Rosneft would potentially entail a loan of $30 billion from China, which would be repaid in oil. A similar loan for $6 billion was made in 2005 and helped finance Rosneft’s purchase of a subsidiary of Yukos, once Russia’s largest oil company. Western critics said that deal made China complicit in the Russian government’s takeover of Yukos. |
| In 2009, there was another loan, of $25 billion, split between Rosneft and Transneft, the state-controlled pipeline company, to be repaid with about 2.5 billion barrels of oil through 2030. | In 2009, there was another loan, of $25 billion, split between Rosneft and Transneft, the state-controlled pipeline company, to be repaid with about 2.5 billion barrels of oil through 2030. |
| Despite the increasing ties on energy and other issues, and the recent displays of good will, experts say the relationship is still burdened by Russian wariness and Chinese frustrations. | Despite the increasing ties on energy and other issues, and the recent displays of good will, experts say the relationship is still burdened by Russian wariness and Chinese frustrations. |
| Some Russians worry that China’s growing economic and military strength could eventually displace their country’s influence, especially in the sparsely settled regions of the Russian Far East. | Some Russians worry that China’s growing economic and military strength could eventually displace their country’s influence, especially in the sparsely settled regions of the Russian Far East. |
| China has long sought to draw Russia’s Gazprom into agreeing to supply natural gas along a proposed pipeline from east Siberia. “Pipeline oil and gas cooperation is a good thing that benefits both sides,” the Chinese vice foreign minister, Cheng Guoping, told reporters in Beijing this week. “It suits both sides’ energy security needs and national interests.” | China has long sought to draw Russia’s Gazprom into agreeing to supply natural gas along a proposed pipeline from east Siberia. “Pipeline oil and gas cooperation is a good thing that benefits both sides,” the Chinese vice foreign minister, Cheng Guoping, told reporters in Beijing this week. “It suits both sides’ energy security needs and national interests.” |
| But disagreements over pricing have frustrated the proposed gas deal, and Mr. Putin’s spokesman said on Thursday that an agreement on that was unlikely during Mr. Xi’s visit. | But disagreements over pricing have frustrated the proposed gas deal, and Mr. Putin’s spokesman said on Thursday that an agreement on that was unlikely during Mr. Xi’s visit. |
| For the Chinese leader, the visit appears to be as much about consolidating his stature at home and abroad as about bilateral ties. The domestic fame of Mr. Xi’s wife, a professional singer, once overshadowed his own, and popular Chinese newspapers and Web sites have dwelled as much on her planned activities as on his. | For the Chinese leader, the visit appears to be as much about consolidating his stature at home and abroad as about bilateral ties. The domestic fame of Mr. Xi’s wife, a professional singer, once overshadowed his own, and popular Chinese newspapers and Web sites have dwelled as much on her planned activities as on his. |
| Like Mr. Hu, Mr. Xi describes himself as an admirer of Russian culture. During his news briefing this week, he reeled off the names of Russian authors whose works he said he had read as a youth, including Pushkin, Tolstoy and Chekhov, and he praised Mr. Putin, whom he has met before. “We found a lot in common during our talks,” Mr. Xi said. | Like Mr. Hu, Mr. Xi describes himself as an admirer of Russian culture. During his news briefing this week, he reeled off the names of Russian authors whose works he said he had read as a youth, including Pushkin, Tolstoy and Chekhov, and he praised Mr. Putin, whom he has met before. “We found a lot in common during our talks,” Mr. Xi said. |
David M. Herszenhorn reported from Moscow, and Chris Buckley from Hong Kong. Andrew Roth contributed reporting from Moscow. | David M. Herszenhorn reported from Moscow, and Chris Buckley from Hong Kong. Andrew Roth contributed reporting from Moscow. |