Xi’s dilemma – to send arms to Putin or not?

A decision to supply Russia with weapons would bring Beijing’s rivalry with Washington to boiling point

Mr Xi Jinping (right) has visited Mr Vladimir Putin more than he has visited any other world leader. PHOTO: REUTERS
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Chinese President Xi Jinping has called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin his best friend. And now the Russian leader is in urgent need of help from China. Mr Putin’s army is bogged down in Ukraine and running short of ammunition.

Should Mr Xi prove that he is a friend indeed by supplying Russia with weapons? China’s decision will say a lot about how it sees the future of the world.

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