Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi is slated to hold talks with top diplomats and other senior officials from 25 countries and regions, mostly in person, in just over two weeks between the virtual US-China summit on March 18 and early April.
These include Asian and African nations that in many cases have not been as critical of Russia as the West or Japan, where China likely sees more room to manoeuvre.
Six of the countries, including Pakistan, Iran and Tajikistan, abstained from voting on the March 2 resolution at the UN General Assembly demanding that Russia withdraw from Ukraine.
Moscow is on the list as well. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov met with Wang on Wednesday during his first trip to China since the invasion of Ukraine in late February, and the two pledged to continue strengthening their relationship as strategic partners. “The desire of the two sides to develop bilateral relations has grown firmer,” Wang said.
Lavrov said Russia will work with China and like-minded countries to “move towards a multipolar, equitable, democratic world order”.
During the visit, Lavrov will participate in a meeting hosted by Wang on the situation in Afghanistan, along with counterparts from Pakistan, Iran and other neighbouring countries. The US is also sending a representative.
“There is no limit to China-Russia cooperation,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters Wednesday.
When asked about the Ukraine conflict, Wang reiterated China’s position that it “supports and encourages all diplomatic efforts for the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis and is happy to see Russia and Ukraine have dialogue and negotiation”.
This visit followed talks this month between Wang Yi and counterparts from countries including Zambia, Algeria and Egypt.
The Chinese foreign minister recently wrapped up a tour of Pakistan, Nepal and India, the last of which marked the first high-level visit by a Chinese official to the country since a border standoff over disputed territory flared up two years ago.
Along with the US, Japan and Australia, India is part of the security grouping known as the Quad, established as a counterweight to China.
Wang’s visit aimed to drive a wedge into the Washington-led effort to curb Beijing, while also providing another opportunity to urge continued dialogue between Russia and Ukraine.
After the Afghanistan talks, foreign ministers from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar are slated to visit China between Thursday and Sunday to meet with Wang, followed by a visit from the Panamanian foreign minister next Monday.
The Philippines and Indonesia have sought to maintain a balance between the US and China. Beijing looks to take this chance to get closer to them to keep them from being drawn into Washington’s camp.
As for Russia, one of China’s goals for the relationship is to keep itself from becoming isolated. The Chinese government has avoided criticising Moscow over the invasion and has consistently opposed Western-led sanctions.
China considers its northern neighbour a crucial partner in its long-term rivalry with the US. Though it does not support the Ukraine invasion, it does not see it as a reason to sour their relationship. Beijing, however, would also prefer not to deepen its rift with the West by being perceived as colluding with Russia.
The two have supported each other against Western criticism on human rights and other issues, citing noninterference in the other’s internal affairs. If Russia becomes ostracised, China will lose a major supporter on the international stage.
Beijing has firmly opposed calls in the US for Moscow to be excluded from the Group of 20. To this end, China is placing particular weight on ties with Indonesia, which will chair the G-20 summit this October.
China’s diplomatic corps, in which Wang Yi is a top figure, has come in for criticism at home for failing to anticipate Russia’s plans in Ukraine, according to a source close to the Communist Party.
Some party insiders think Wang’s diplomatic blitz may be an attempt to recover from this error ahead of this fall’s once-in-five-years party congress, where key appointments are made.