They share a land border more than 4,000 kilometers long and a checkered common history. Russia and China are currently positioning themselves again as partners against the West. Anyone who speaks to people along the border hears contradictory things. A visit to China’s northernmost province of Heilongjiang.
Will he really come? The question has been around since the Russian Foreign Ministry announced a visit to Moscow by Chinese head of state Xi Jinping in the spring at the end of January. Beijing has yet to confirm the visit, which only increases international tension: will Xi actually travel to Russia in the midst of the Ukraine war to stand alongside Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin in front of the world’s eyes?