Photo : EPA
For a moment you could have mistaken Beijing for Moscow.
As Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping walked the red carpet towards the Great Hall of the People, a Chinese military band played the romantic Russian classic Moscow Nights.
“If only you knew how these Moscow Nights are dear to me,” goes the refrain.
Hidden in the notes, was there a hint of political romance?
Even bromance…?
“My dear friend,” said Putin to Xi.
“My old friend,” said Xi to Putin.
It was the language of two leaders who like to show they’ve built a special relationship. They have had plenty of time to do so: they have met more than 40 times over the years.
In their public statements they spoke of “strategic co-operation” between their nations, about “partnership”, “mutual respect”, “friendship” and “trust.”
Together they railed against the “irresponsible” nuclear policy of the United States and condemned Donald Trump’s plan for a Golden Dome missile defence shield.
On the eve of the visit the Russian government newspaper had published two big photos on its front page: one of a lonely-looking Trump climbing the steps of Air Force One at the end of his China trip last week; and beside it an old image of Putin and Xi walking together.
The visual messaging was unmistakable: Russia and China are shoulder-to- shoulder on the world stage.
But this is not a world of love songs, romance and bromance.
This is geopolitics.
And in the world of geopolitics relationships are rarely based on love and affection. It’s often self-interest.
At the Xi-Putin summit it became clear that there are limits to the love.
