China welcomes US-Russia détente, says won’t affect own ties with Moscow

China’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday expressed support for the US-Russia summit, amid widespread criticism from the Western press that President Donald Trump had embarrassed his country.

“China is glad to see Russia and the US improve ties,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, adding that more dialogue and cooperation “is beneficial for world peace.”

Hua dismissed the possibility that the summit would influence Beijing’s ties with Moscow.

“We are very confident in the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia,” she said. “Sino-Russian ties will not be influenced by any outside factors.”

China’s state-run Global Times weighed in on the politics surrounding Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that forces opposed to closer ties with Moscow are too strong in Washington.

“Current US foreign policy is not guaranteed to become a part of its long-term strategy. Policy changes in many aspects will likely be temporary,” the editorial said.

“It is very difficult for non-Western countries to build good ties with Washington. There are simply too many, too powerful forces that are against it. It is important for Beijing and Moscow to take note,” the article concluded.

While the commentary focused on the Washington foreign-policy establishment, the headline blamed Trump’s “America First” policy for worsening US-Russia ties. Global Times, which is operated by the Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily, has become more critical of President Trump in recent months, after the US decision to enact tariffs on Chinese goods.