Poland's President Duda Seeks to Strengthen Ties with China Amid Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Polish President Andrzej Duda visits China to strengthen ties and discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Despite NATO tensions, Duda aims to maintain friendly relations with China and balance trade. He will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping and attend an economic forum in Shanghai.

In a significant diplomatic visit, Poland's President Andrzej Duda has arrived in China, marking a rare occasion of a NATO member engaging with a country that has supported Russia amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

"I am trying to maintain friendly relations with China. Poland has always had decent relations with China, and I would like that to be continued,'' Duda stated on private Radio Zet on Friday.

Scheduled to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Monday, Duda confirmed that the peace in Ukraine would be a primary topic of discussion. When questioned on China's potential role in ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Duda responded, "I think that to a large degree, yes." Despite China's claims of neutrality, it has blamed NATO's expansion for provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin and maintained strong trade and diplomatic ties with Moscow.

Poland, sharing a border with Ukraine, has taken in refugees fleeing the conflict and has remained firmly against further Russian aggression. During his visit, Duda intends to discuss Belarus's use of hybrid warfare tactics, including cyberattacks and migration pressure on Poland's borders, with Xi.

Duda's agenda also includes seeking a visa waiver for Polish travelers to China and exploring ways to boost Poland's exports to China to balance their trade relationship. According to State Statistics Poland, 13.9% of the nation's imports last year were from China, whereas Polish exports to China were significantly lesser. Some trade agreements are expected to be signed during this visit.

On Wednesday, Duda plans to fly to Shanghai to participate in a Poland-China economic forum in the financial hub of the city.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)