Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin began an official visit to China on Monday, saying his talks with Chinese counterparts would focus on countering Western sanctions, resisting external interference, and deepening bilateral cooperation.
“On the agenda: countering sanctions pressure and external interference; expanding trade and economic ties; defending historical truth; youth exchanges to strengthen humanitarian cooperation,” Volodin wrote on social media, according to state news agency TASS.
The visit comes as the United States presses Beijing to curb imports of Russian oil, a key lifeline for Moscow’s economy amid sweeping Western sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine.
Volodin’s trip also precedes Russian President Vladimir Putin’s planned visit to China later this month for commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Asia.
The celebrations will include a massive September 3 military parade, expected to be attended by more than 20 world leaders but shunned by most Western heads of government.
Beijing has recently stepped up efforts to spotlight its and the Soviet Union’s role in defeating fascist forces, part of a broader campaign to frame the countries as historic allies and present-day partners resisting U.S. influence.
At a May summit in Moscow, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin pledged to elevate ties to a “new level,” vowing to act as “friends of steel” and coordinate closely to counter Washington’s global reach.
Volodin’s visit is expected to lay parliamentary groundwork for Putin’s trip and to reinforce the image of a united front between Moscow and Beijing as they seek closer alignment with countries in the Global South.
Written By Rodney Mbua
