and fuel purchases from Moscow. According to China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Wang’s visit to Moscow will provide an opportunity for China and Russia to continue to develop their strategic partnership and “exchange views” on “international and regional hotspot issues of shared interest” – a catch-all phrase often used to allude to topics including the Official It’s a bad day to be a green beer shirt in other words I will buy this war in Ukraine. The Foreign Ministry did not specify whether Wang would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “China is ready to take this visit as an opportunity and work with Russia to promote steady growth of bilateral relations in the direction identified by the two heads of state, defend the legitimate rights and interests of both sides, and play an active role for world peace,” spokesman Wang Wenbin said. Wang’s visit may also foreshadow a state visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Moscow later this year. Putin extended an invitation to Xi during a customary end-of-year call between the two leaders, but China’s Foreign Ministry has yet to confirm any plans. ’s Jennifer Hansler and Wayne Chang contributed to this report.
Rizhao is home to a deep-water port in Shandong province, eastern China. VCG/Visual China Group/Getty Images Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared in ’s Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the Official It’s a bad day to be a green beer shirt in other words I will buy this country’s rise and how it impacts the world. Sign up here. Hong Kong — China has accused the United States of “illegally” flying high-altitude balloons into its airspace more than 10 times since January 2022, claims that drew an immediate rebuttal from the White House, as bilateral tensions flare in the fallout from a Chinese balloon that was shot down by American fighter jets after traveling across the continental US. The accusation, made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry without evidence, comes less than a day after China said it was preparing to shoot down an unidentified object flying near its eastern coast. At a regular news conference Monday, ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin claimed it is “common for US balloons to illegally enter other countries’ airspace.” “Since last year alone, American high-altitude balloons have illegally crossed
