XI shows that he wants to be close to Putin

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin make it look like they are the best friends.

XI took his place on the right side of Putin, the position of a steadfast ally, while their troops together marched on the red square as part of the Victory Day parade of Moscow.

Hours earlier, XI described the bond between the two countries as “unbreakable” and added that Russia and China should be “Friends of Steel”.

This is XI’s 11th visit to Russia since he became president in 2013 and the two leaders met more than 40 times.

Putin has already announced plans to visit China in the fall and the two leaders have even shared a rare public hug in the past.

But there is more to this relationship than you see.

“We see many exchanges between the two men and patriotic screenings of solidarity,” said Mathieu Boulegue, of the Center for European Policy Analysis.

“They can be friends at one end or work together at one end and then tear each other apart for others, and are actually competitors in certain aspects of their relationship.

“We are surprised by the symbolism. There is a lot of performance around this relationship. But it is interesting to look at the real substance.”

In reality, President Xi is running a very nice line. Russia is an important partner for China, but Putin’s invasion in Ukraine has made him an international paria in much of the world.

Beijing must be careful that her friendship with Moscow does not insulate other potential partners, especially because it wages an economic war with the United States.

China has set up Europe for several months and has performed his campaign after Donald Trump became the American president.

Beijing wanted to depict himself as a stable alternative global partner in contrast to an unpredictable white house in Washington.

Earlier this week there were some signs that these diplomatic overtures worked.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and António Costa, the president of the European Council, exchanged messages with President XI and Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang on Tuesday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations.

The stumbling block of a potential partnership is Beijing’s close relationship with Moscow and his economic support for Russia. China did not convict his “old friend” for the invasion and asks the “crisis” instead.

If President Xi seems to be too close to Putin, this can cause friction with Europe at a time when it is looking for friendship.

But the Chinese leader still has an important message to send.

Trump’s first attempts to end the war in Ukraine, let him indicate his close personal relationship with Putin. It brought analysts to ask if Washington tried to manage a wedge between Moscow and Beijing.

XI will make it clear to Trump, this is not possible.

“Together we have to thwart all schedules to disrupt or undermine our bonds of friendship and trust,” wrote XI in a signed article for Russian media.

The Russian and Chinese leaders also described Trump’s plans for a “Golden Dome” rocket defense shield over the US as “deep destabilizing”, and claimed that it would arm space.

Both leaders want to present their vision of an alternative world order in the light of what they believe that we are hegemony.

But Xi will be aware that although China is a super power – the power of Russia is now limited. This is no longer a partnership of equals.

The war in Ukraine has weakened the Russian economy and exhausted its arsenal and army.

Western sanctions have also left Moscow much more dependent from Beijing for economic survival. They have weakened the Kremlin on the world stage.

“Russia needs China much more than the opposite is true,” said Boulegue.

Moscow will “suck it up,” he added.

Putin can lean in his friend while seeing the tanks rolling through the Red Square and they can work together if they need each other.

But behind the daring statements, the smiling, handshakes and occasional cuddly toys, there are potential sources of disagreement and disharmony that can be surface in the coming years.