By Canadian Press

China’s Xi, Japan’s Kishida end visits to Russia and Ukraine

Mar 22, 2023 | 12:27 AM

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping has left Moscow, wrapping up a three-day visit, shortly after Japanese PM Fumio Kishida left Kyiv.

Kishida made a surprise visit Tuesday to Kyiv, stealing some of the attention from Xi’s trip to Moscow where he promoted Beijing’s peace proposal for Ukraine, which Western nations have already dismissed.

Xi’s visit gave a strong political boost to Russian President Vladimir Putin just days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader on charges of alleged involvement in abductions of thousands of children from Ukraine.

After the talks, Putin and Xi issued joint declarations pledging to further bolster their “strategic cooperation,” develop cooperation in energy, high-tech industries and other spheres and expand the use of their currencies in mutual trade to reduce dependence on the West.

They said they would develop military cooperation and conduct more joint sea and air patrols, but there was no mention of Chinese weapon supplies to Russia, a prospect that the U.S. and other Western allies feared.

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Karl Ritter, The Associated Press