Comment Section for With Putin by His Side, Xi Outlines His Vision of a New World Order - The New York Times

The New York Times reports on a Beijing-led conference where Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, outlined his vision for a new world order. Xi positioned China as an alternative to the U.S.'s leadership, promoting the Belt and Road Forum as a tool to expand China's influence via infrastructure projects. The conference highlighted the deepening bond between China and Russia, as both leaders expressed shared grievances towards the West and a desire to counter American dominance. Amid the leaders' meeting, President Biden was in Israel aiming to prevent the war between Israel and Hamas from expanding. Putin blamed the U.S. for escalating tensions in the Middle East by deploying warships to the region. Xi emphasized China's position against unilateral sanctions, economic coercion, and supply chain disruptions, a clear reference to U.S. and Western efforts to pressure China. The conference's attendee list was largely comprised of developing nations, with the sole European Union representative being Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orban. It is highlighted that China has disbursed nearly $1 trillion in loans for infrastructure across Asia, Africa, and Latin America through the Belt and Road initiative. In the Middle East, both China and Russia refrained from condemning Hamas for its attack on Israel, instead criticizing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and advocating for talks towards a Palestinian state. These actions reflect China's increasing assertiveness and desire to influence the Middle East.

This New York Times article discusses a conference in Beijing led by Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, where Xi outlined his vision for a new world order. The event, called the Belt and Road Forum, is a part of China's foreign policy initiative aimed at expanding Beijing's global influence through infrastructure projects. Xi and Putin hailed each other as friends and took swipes at the United States, advocating for a "fairer, multipolar world." Their partnership is seen as pivotal to Xi's vision of the global order, providing an alternative to U.S. leadership. During the conference, President Biden was in Israel aiming to prevent the war between Israel and Hamas from escalating. While Xi didn't publicly comment on the war, Putin blamed the U.S. for increasing tensions in the Middle East by sending warships to the region. The conference was largely devoid of European Union countries due to the divisive role Russia played in the Ukraine war. Instead, nearly 150 developing nations were present. China has invested close to $1 trillion in these countries through the Belt and Road initiative, but some are struggling with the resulting debt obligations. The article also covers China's increasing involvement in the Middle East, reflecting its rising assertiveness and desire to fill the vacuum left by the U.S.'s exit. China has been actively mediating between arch-rivals and offering solutions for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This stance is a departure from China's traditional policy of noninterference in other countries' internal affairs. The approach is seen as a way to gain favor with countries in the Middle East and the Global South.