As Trump, Putin warm up to revive old ties, China says US-Russia ties their mutual matter

Beijing: In wake of the rapprochement between US President elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the issue of ending war with Ukraine, China on Friday termed the development of ties between Moscow and Washington as a “matter between them.”

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, however, described China and Russia as “comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era.”

During a regular press briefing, Ning was answering multiple questions about Putin's comment on the relationship with the US after Trump's election, Washington pursuing a policy of dual containment, and the talk about ending the war with Ukraine.

Asked how China views Putin’s comments that he is willing to resume dialogue with Trump and Trump’s statement on the Ukraine issue is worthy of attention, Ning said, “the relationship between Russia and the US is a matter between the two countries.”

“On the Ukraine crisis, China’s position is consistent. We support all efforts that are conducive to the political settlement of the crisis.”

Russia’s official news agency TASS reported that Putin, while speaking at an event in Sochi city, commented on Trump's opinion about ending the war with Ukraine saying, “What has been said publicly so far ..., what has been said about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to contribute to the end of the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, it deserves at least attention.” Ning also praised Putin’s criticism of US dual containment policy, trying to contain both Russia and China.

“China and Russia are each other’s comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era,” she said.

“China always believes that major-country competition runs counter to the trend of the times, and containment and suppression as well as bloc confrontation will win no support. Mutual respect and win-win cooperation is the right way for countries to get along with each other,” Ning added.

Since Trump’s re-election after a gap of four years, there are apprehensions in Beijing on how the China-Russia ties pan out in future considering the close ties between Trump and Putin, unlike that between the Russian president and the incumbent US President Joe Biden.

China would view as a setback any positive shift in the US-Russia ties as President Xi seeks to build a new coalition to counter America's push in the Indo-Pacific, especially in the South China Sea.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not rule out a communication between the two leaders before Trump assumes office on January 20, 2025.

Earlier during his campaign, Trump touted his good ties with Putin and said he will end the Ukraine war in a day.

On the other hand, while expressing willingness to talk with Trump, with whom he shared close ties since the American leader's previous term, Putin also spoke of close Russia-China ties and accused the US of conducting dual containment policy to reign in both the countries.

“Regrettably, the United States is conducting the policy of dual deterrence. In other words, it is trying to deter both China and Russia at the same time,” he said.

Putin said, “I believe that if, instead of ‘dual deterrence,’ the United States had changed its policy on Russia and China to ‘triple cooperation,’ everyone would have benefited from it. It would have been a win-win situation for everyone,” he added.

The level of trust between Russia and China is at the highest point in modern history, TASS quoted Putin as saying.