Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called on his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to make “efforts” to “protect international justice,” during a meeting on the sidelines of the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative Forum.
The Chinese leader, quoted by the official Xinhua news agency, praised the state of relations between the two countries, stressing that “political trust is steadily deepening,” with “close and effective strategic coordination and bilateral trade at maximum historic levels.”
Xi and Putin met after the opening ceremony of the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative Forum, taking place in Beijing.
The Russian leader traveled to China despite the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
“We have met 42 times over the past ten years. We have built a good working relationship and a deep friendship”he claimed.
During the meeting, Xi welcomed the fact that the governments of the two countries “put the important consensuses into practice” reached by the two leaders in previous meetings.
“Mutual political trust is steadily increasing and strategic cooperation is effective and close. Bilateral trade has reached historic highs and is moving steadily towards our target of $200 billion per year.”the Chinese leader added.
Recalling that next year marks the 75th anniversary since the establishment of relations between the two countries, Xi said China wants to work with Russia to “understand the historical trend of global development based on the interests of our two peoples”.
“We must further enrich bilateral cooperation, reflecting our responsibility as powers, and continue to contribute to the modernization of our two countries”said the Chinese leader.
“We must work together to protect international justice” and “promote global development”he added.
Quoted by Xinhua, Putin stated at the meeting that the Belt and Road Initiative “must be recognized as a global public good” and that he hopes more countries will join the Chinese project in the future.
The meeting between the two comes at a time of geopolitical crisis, sparked by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or the Russian offensive in Ukraine, on which China has taken an ambiguous position.
China has served as Moscow’s “lifeline” after its invasion of Ukraine. The Asian country is now Russia’s most important trading partner and diplomatic ally.
The Russian leader traveled to China with a large delegation of senior officials, including two deputy prime ministers and those responsible for foreign affairs, economic development, transport and finance.
Beijing sees the partnership with Russia as fundamental to countering the liberal-democratic order, at a time when its relationship with the United States is also going through a period of great tension, marked by disputes over trade and technology or disputes over human rights issues. status of Hong Kong or Taiwan and the sovereignty of the South and East China Seas.
Just weeks before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Putin and Xi declared an ‘unrestricted’ friendship in Beijing.
China refused to condemn Russia for invading Ukraine and criticized the imposition of international sanctions on Moscow.
Source: DN
