Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Visits Moscow Amid Rising Tensions Between US and China

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, according to Russian state media, for a high-profile visit that will include a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday. This is the first visit to Russia by a Chinese official in the role since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began nearly a year ago.

The visit comes as tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to rise. On Sunday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said China would cross “a red line” if it provided lethal aid to Russia in its war against Ukraine.

“We also have to be clear that, if there are any thoughts and efforts by the Chinese and others to provide lethal support to the Russians in their brutal attack against Ukraine, that that is unacceptable,” Thomas-Greenfield said. “Again, that would be a red line.”

Wang was named Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s top foreign policy adviser last month and is making the visit as the final stop in an eight-day international tour that included visits to France, Italy, and Hungary, as well as Germany for a security conference.

Neither country has specified whether Wang will hold talks with President Vladimir Putin, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that “we do expect contacts at the highest level.” It is unclear what topics will be discussed during Wang’s visit, but it is likely to include the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the strained relations between the U.S. and China.