BEIJING (AP) — The Polish president Andrzej Duda is in China for a visit that brings the leader of a NATO member to a country that has backed Russia in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“I try to maintain friendly relations with China, Poland has always had decent relations with China and I would like them to continue,” Duda said in an interview on Radio Zet on Friday.
He would meet with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping Monday and has said peace in Ukraine will be discussed.
Asked whether he believes China holds the key to peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Duda said: “I think to a large extent it does.”
Although China says it is neutral in the fighting, it blames NATO expansion for provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin to launch the invasion and has maintained robust trade and diplomatic ties with Moscow. Bordering Ukraine, Poland has sheltered those fleeing the fighting and maintained a hard line against further expansion of Russian aggression.
Duda said he will also talk to Xi about Belarus putting migratory pressure on the border with Poland as a form of hybrid war that also includes cyber attacks.
Duda will also apply for a visa waiver for Poles traveling to China and will look for opportunities to increase Polish exports there, to balance their trade relations.
According to Polish state statistics, 13.9% of the country’s imports came from China last year, while Polish exports to China amounted to only a fraction of that amount.
Some trade agreements will be signed during the visit.
On Wednesday, Duda will fly to the financial center of Shanghai to attend an economic forum between Poland and China.
