China’s Xi heads abroad to promote strategic role

By JOE McDONALD and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping is using his first trip abroad since the start of the pandemic to promote his country’s strategic ambitions at a summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and other leaders of a Central Asian security group. Xi is promoting a “Global Security Initiative” announced in April following the formation of the Quad by Washington, Japan, Australia and India in response to Beijing’s more assertive foreign policy. U.S. officials complain Xi’s initiative echoes claims about security cited by Russia as justification for its February attack on Ukraine. Xi’s government has refused to criticize Putin’s attack on Ukraine. Beijing accuses the United States of provoking the conflict.