Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin that a political solution to the Ukraine crisis is the “right step forward” and that Beijing is ready to play a constructive role in achieving this. It was said that they were in agreement.
According to a joint statement released after the summit in Beijing, the two leaders called for preventing the crisis from getting out of control and emphasized the importance of dialogue to resolve the situation. The statement was reported by state media in both countries.
According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Xi Jinping said in a joint press conference with President Putin that China hopes for the early return of peace and stability to the European continent.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands in Beijing on May 16, 2024 (AP/Kyodo News)
According to Russia’s TASS news agency, President Putin expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for its proposal to resolve the situation in Ukraine at a press conference. He is on a two-day state visit to China until Friday.
China opposes Western sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine. The United States and some European countries have expressed concern that the Chinese government is supplying Moscow with goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
Tass said the Russian leader also expressed opposition to the formation of closed military and political alliances in the Asia-Pacific region, apparently referring to U.S. efforts to deepen cooperation with regional partners. “I believe that building alliances like this is extremely harmful and counterproductive,” he was quoted as saying.
In a joint statement, the two countries said they would join forces to oppose “hegemonic US actions that change the balance of power in Northeast Asia.”
The document cited joint exercises conducted by the United States and its allies and said it opposed U.S. military provocations against North Korea. He also stated that China firmly opposes interference by outside powers in the South China Sea, where the Chinese government has repeated territorial disputes with neighboring countries.
On May 16, 2024, the Russian (L) and Chinese flags are raised outside Beijing’s Tiananmen Gate on the occasion of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China. (Joint)
China and Russia have announced that they will further deepen military cooperation by expanding the scale of joint exercises.
According to the statement, regarding Taiwan, an autonomous territory that the Chinese government regards as its own island, Russia reaffirms its stance against any form of independence for the region, and opposes China’s attempt to incorporate Taiwan into Taiwan. supported.
The two countries also expressed “serious concerns” about the release of radioactive water into the ocean from Japan’s crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, urging Tokyo to safely release “nuclear-contaminated” water in a responsible manner. requested that it be disposed of.
Since water spraying began in August last year, China and Russia have completely banned the import of seafood from Japan.
According to the Chinese Ministry, the leaders of the two countries signed a joint statement on deepening the “comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership towards a new era” between the two countries, marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year.
Tass added that senior officials from both countries signed 10 joint documents to strengthen cooperation in various fields.
President Putin arrived in Beijing early in the day, marking his first overseas trip since taking office last week and beginning his fifth term. Mr. Xi welcomed the Russian leader as an “old friend.”
At the summit meeting held in November 2016, President Xi said, “The steady development of China-Russia relations not only serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, but also contributes to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the region and the world as a whole. I will make a contribution.” Great Hall of the People, according to the Chinese Ministry.
“Our cooperation in today’s world situation has become one of the main stabilizing factors in the international arena,” Tass said.Putin told Xi during the meeting.
Xi said that China is ready to cooperate with Moscow to safeguard global fairness and justice, and that the two countries’ “common strategy is to follow the general historical trend of world multipolarization and economic globalization.” (Ministry of China).
Putin was also quoted as saying that Russia and China both support the principles of justice and a democratic world order that reflects the realities of multipolarity and is based on international law. The leaders’ remarks were clearly a reference to opposition to the US-led international order.
The Russian president added that the two countries are promoting substantive cooperation, noting that Beijing is Moscow’s main trade and economic partner. He said bilateral trade flows have expanded as almost 90% of all payments between the two countries are made in their respective currencies.
At a press conference, President Xi pointed out that bilateral trade last year exceeded $240 billion, an increase of nearly 2.7 times compared to 10 years ago, and emphasized the need to further expand economic and trade cooperation. .
China has increased its imports of crude oil and liquefied natural gas from Russia, and continues to source energy from neighboring countries despite Western sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
According to the Ministry of China, Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin have met more than 40 times and maintain close communication.
Tass said Putin was accompanied by a number of senior officials and business leaders, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu.
Later that day, the Russian president also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Putin is scheduled to attend an expo on Friday to showcase companies from both countries in Harbin, northeastern China’s Heilongjiang province, which borders Russia, the news agency said.
Last March, shortly after Mr. Xi secured an unprecedented third five-year term as president, he met with President Putin in Moscow. And in October 2023, the Russian leader met with the Chinese leader during a visit to Beijing.
The two leaders reaffirmed that in 2022, the friendly relationship between the two countries has “no limits.”
In an interview with China’s state-run Xinhua news agency published before his arrival in Beijing, Putin said bilateral relations had “reached the highest level in history” and would continue to develop despite the difficult international environment.
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