China’s Xi meets Russian FM Lavrov, calls relations with Moscow ‘precious’ 

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and pressed for “closer and stronger strategic coordination” between Beijing and Moscow, according to state media.

Xi met with Lavrov in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday, according to China’s Xinhua news agency, where he urged Russia and China to “firmly defend their legitimate interests and safeguard the unity of Global South countries”.

The Chinese leader also said the stability and certainty of China-Russia relations were particularly “precious” in an international landscape marked by change and chaos, The Associated Press news agency reported.

While a Chinese readout of Xi’s remarks to the Russian minister did not explicitly mention the US-Israel war on Iran, his comments did appear to reference growing fears that the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a global food crisis as critical fertiliser and fuel exports are blocked from leaving the Gulf.

The strait has been de facto shut down to most maritime traffic by Iran since shortly after the US and Israel launched their war on February 28, while the US military said on Tuesday that its forces have now completely blockaded all Iranian ports in a move designed to force Tehran to accept US conditions for a ceasefire.

The shutdown of the strait is straining global energy supplies, as 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas exports transited the waterway before the war.

Lavrov told a news conference after meeting Xi that Moscow could “compensate” for China’s energy shortages as shipping through the strait remains choked.

‘Chaos and turmoil’

Before he met with Xi, Lavrov met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Tuesday to discuss the conflict in the Middle East, the Ukraine war, and other geopolitical issues, according to China’s CGTN news outlet.

China and Russia are not formal military allies but maintain extremely close economic and political ties, and in 2022, Xi signed a “no limits” strategic partnership with President Vladimir Putin shortly before the Russian leader launched his invasion of Ukraine.

In visiting Beijing this week, Lavrov joined Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vietnamese leader To Lam in holding meetings with Xi.

In talks with Spain’s Sanchez on Tuesday, Xi warned that the world was facing “chaos and turmoil” and “a contest between justice and force”, urging closer cooperation.

Meeting Abu Dhabi’s crown prince the same day, Xi said China would play a “constructive role” in promoting peace talks in the Middle East.

Xi met later on Wednesday with Vietnamese leader To Lam and signed several cooperation agreements, according to state media.

The visit was Lam’s first trip abroad since the Communist Party leader was elected last week as the country’s president.

Lam has called ties with Beijing a “top priority”, but he faces a precarious balancing act between the US – Vietnam’s main export market – and the country’s largest supplier of raw materials and machinery – China.