Moscow pledges to join Beijing in fight against sanctions

New Russian ambassador reaffirms friendship and promises to target US ‘unipolar hegemony’

Russia’s new ambassador to China has promised to fight alongside Beijing against what he called “unipolar hegemony”, a phrase commonly used to criticise Western sanctions targeted at China’s military and technological development as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Russia-China ties cannot be broken, and the friendship between the two countries can overcome any challenge,” the foreign ministry quoted Igor Morgulov as saying during his first meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday.

China and Russia declared a “friendship without limits” in February, before the Ukraine war began. While Beijing has repeated Moscow’s narrative and criticised Western sanctions against Russia, Chinese companies have largely abided by the sanctions.

There is also no evidence suggesting the Chinese government has armed the Russian military.

Assaults and missile strikes from Russia have damaged parts of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leading to power cuts that have limited heating for millions of Ukrainians.

While the statement from the foreign ministry on Morgulov’s meeting with Wang did not mention the Ukraine war, it said they “exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern”.

“China and Russia, as two major neighbours, will continue to promote strategic trust and pragmatic cooperation, deepen the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination and safeguard international justice together,” Wang said.

He said top Chinese officials would continue talks with their Russian counterparts and support Russia’s development.

China and Russia have promoted the narrative they stand for a multipolar world in contrast with what they describe as “hegemony” led by the United States.

On Sunday, Morgulov reaffirmed that line, saying Russia would work with China to safeguard an international order based on international law and the United Nations Charter. He also said ties would be pushed to new heights.

The US and its allies have accused the two countries of disregarding international law. Washington has said China ignored treaties and international arbitration outcomes regarding its claims in the South China Sea and that Russia’s invasion violated Ukraine’s sovereignty.

The friendship between the two countries can overcome any challenge

IGOR MORGULOV, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR

In an interview with Russian media this month, Morgulov said President Xi Jinping was expected to make a state visit to Russia after the “two sessions” political meetings in March.

Morgulov was previously posted to Japan and the US and has focused on Asia during his career in the Russian foreign ministry. From 2006 to 2009, he was counsellor at the Russian embassy in Beijing and later director of the ministry’s First Asian Department.

He became a deputy foreign minister in 2011 and was appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to become the top envoy to China in September.