Leader of NATO member Poland visits China, talks to Xi about Ukraine, peace and trade

BEIJING (AP) — Polish President Andrzej Duda met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping Monday for talks on Ukraine, peace and expanding bilateral trade on a visit to Beijing that brought the head of state of a NATO member to a country that has backed Russia in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

At their meeting at the Great Hall of the People accompanied by a full honor guard and a 21-gun salute, Duda told Xi that relations between the former Russian-allied nation — which inspired democratic movements with its push for democracy — and China — which is a Communist state — remain strong.

Xi said their relations were friendly.

“Over the past 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, bilateral relations have maintained steady development, constantly injecting new vitality into the traditional friendship between the two countries,” Xi said after the two leaders took their seats, surrounded by aides and security guards.

Duda said Poland was hoping for closer commercial relations with China — particularly under Xi’s signature “Belt and Road Initiative” to build transport connections and other infrastructure between China, Europe, Southeast Asia and other regions — largely as a response to overcapacity within China’s huge manufacturing industries, the need to find foreign markets and expand Beijing’s political and economic influence to counter the U.S.-led liberal domestic order.

Poland is seeking new markets for its agricultural products, including poultry, and Duda told Polish media after the talks that they have opened the doors to greater exports to China.

Duda told Polish reporters that their talks lasted for four hours, under different formats, including almost one hour of one-on-one discussion with the