International
How to end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and 4 other global issues in which Xi and Putin coincide
The leaders of China and Russia, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, exhibited this Thursday in Beijing their consensus on global issues such as the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, multipolarity and trade, distancing themselves from Western positions.
Putin’s second visit to China in less than a year (and his first trip abroad after starting his fifth term) comes after last week Xi traveled for the first time in five to Europe, where the Chinese leader received new pressure to convince his Russian counterpart to stop his aggression against Ukraine.
In a statement after the meeting they held in Beijing, Xi assured that both parties “agree that a political solution to the ‘crisis’ in Ukraine is the right direction.”
Likewise, he reiterated point by point the position that Beijing has maintained in recent years, asking for “respect for the territorial integrity of all countries,” but also for the “legitimate security concerns of all parties,” in reference to Russia.
Xi’s words on the subject do not suggest that the Chinese leader could have pressured his counterpart to end the war during a meeting that occurred a day after Washington announced in Kiev an additional item of 2 billion dollars (about 1,837 million euros) to help Ukraine acquire weapons from the United States.
Xi declared that both parties consider it “extremely urgent” to find a way out of the situation in Palestine and that they support the “two-state solution” and the implementation of United Nations resolutions on this conflict.
Thus, the two heads of state have staged the coordination of their countries on this issue in scenarios such as the United Nations Security Council, where their representatives have voted similarly on the resolutions in this regard.
The Chinese leader boasted of the “strength” of the ties between Beijing and Moscow, which “have stood the test of the changing international panorama” and that will continue to consolidate to “defend justice in the world.”
The Chinese president recalled that he has met “more than forty times” with Putin, who defined relations between China and Russia as an “example of how links should be built between neighboring states.”
Both parties agreed to “promote multipolarity and globalization” and coordinate in institutions such as the United Nations or the G20 to “lead global management in the right direction.”
In February 2022, shortly before the start of the war in Ukraine, Xi and Putin proclaimed in Beijing a “friendship without limits” and, since then, they have defended that their relationship “advances the multipolarization of the world,” as opposed to American “hegemonism.”
Putin welcomed the expansion of bilateral trade, which “is reliably protected against the negative influence of third countries,” he said in reference to the Western sanctions against his country, criticized in recent years by Beijing for “not solving the problems.”
The Russian president also stressed that energy cooperation between Beijing and Moscow was addressed “in depth” during the meeting, a possible reference to the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, designed to connect Russia and China through Mongolia and that, if completed, would divert 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year to northern China.
After surpassing Saudi Arabia, Russia has been China’s main source of oil since 2023, a trade that constitutes an important source of income for the Eurasian country, whose energy exports have been affected by Western sanctions.
In the midst of the American and European offensive against the Chinese automotive sector, Putin defended bilateral collaboration in this field and congratulated China on “a clear and very obvious success” in the sector.
The words of admiration of the Russian leader contrasted with the statements of US President Joe Biden, who recently accused Beijing of “cheating” in that industry and with the EU’s position, which announced a few months ago an investigation of the electric vehicle sector of the Asian giant for possible “illegal subsidies.”
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
International
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.
Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”
International
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.
The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”
The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”
Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.
The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
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