TAIPEI–Following an army of mercenaries’ failed uprising against the Kremlin, Russia said on Sunday that China backed President Vladimir Putin’s attempts to stabilize the nation.
In an unexpected visit to Beijing by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko, the Chinese government reportedly expressed support for the regime in Moscow.
In response to the events of June 24, the Chinese side “expressed support for the efforts of the leadership of the Russian Federation to stabilize the situation in the country and reaffirmed its interest in strengthening the unity and further prosperity of Russia,” according to a Russian statement.
On their meeting, Rudenko and Qin Gang, the foreign minister of China, discussed “international and regional issues of common concern,” according to a statement on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Rudenko’s trip occurred the day after Yevgeny Prigozhin, the commander of the Wagner Group’s private mercenary army, gave the order for his men to march on Moscow in the biggest threat to Putin’s more than two decades in power. Later on Saturday, Prigozhin made a deal to leave Russia with the Kremlin.
Whether Rudenko’s trip to China was in reaction to the uprising remained unclear.
In a statement late Sunday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the revolt was “Russia’s internal affair.”
Without directly mentioning Russia’s leadership, it added, “China supports Russia in maintaining national stability and achieving development and prosperity as a friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner in the new era.”
Despite not being official allies, China and Russia have had a tight relationship during Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, which China has chosen not to denounce.
Beijing has been warned by the US and other Western nations not to provide Russia weapons that may be used in the crisis in Ukraine. In an effort to facilitate peace negotiations to end the conflict, China sent an ambassador to Ukraine and Russia in May.
Rudenko also spoke with Ma Zhaoxu, the vice foreign minister of China, when he was in Beijing. According to a summary of the discussions released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the two sides agreed to “strengthen solidarity and cooperation” and advance the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional organization with a security-related emphasis that both Russia and China are members of.
According to Ma, “it is necessary to… communicate in a timely manner, ensure the stable and long-term relationship between the two countries, and safeguard the common interests of both sides under the complex and serious international situation.”
Although it was short-lived, observers suggest that the Wagner Group uprising revealed further flaws in Putin, whose reputation had already been severely damaged by the 16-month-long conflict in Ukraine that has cost a significant number of Russian servicemen their lives.
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