Xi Jinping drew closer to Russia on the eve of war in Ukraine
Will he come to regret it?
SOME SAW it as a pivotal moment in China’s relationship with Russia, and indeed in the crisis over Ukraine. On February 19th Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, speaking by video link to a conference in Munich, declared that the “sovereignty” and “territorial integrity” of countries should be protected, adding, lest anyone misunderstand, “Ukraine is no exception”. It sounded like an affirmation of international norms, just as Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, was about to shatter them.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Choosing sides”
From the February 26th 2022 edition
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