Putin hails 'strong' momentum in Russia-China cooperation in talks with Xi
Coming on the heels of US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing, the optics and outcomes of the meeting between Xi and Putin will be closely scrutinised.
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BEIJING: Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed "strong, positive" momentum in cooperation between Russia and China, as he held talks with counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday (May 20).
"Even amid unfavourable external factors, our cooperation and economic cooperation is showing strong, positive momentum," Putin told Xi as the two met in the Great Hall of the People, video from Russian media showed.
Xi, meanwhile, hailed the “unyielding” China-Russia ties, Chinese state media reported.
Coming on the heels of US President Donald Trump's visit to the Chinese capital, the optics and outcomes of the meeting between Xi and Putin will be closely scrutinised.
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Putin was greeted by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi when he landed on Tuesday evening, with an honour guard alongside Chinese youths waving the two countries' national flags in a welcome ceremony on the tarmac.
Xi greeted him at the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday, where he received an official welcome ceremony.
Putin arrived in Beijing weakened by years of its war on Ukraine, as sanctions by Western powers put the squeeze on Russian energy revenues.
But as Washington's war in Iran opens an opportunity to push energy-hungry partners to seek alternatives, Putin may use the occasion to prod China to move faster on a key gas pipeline,
Moscow is already heavily dependent economically on Beijing, the main buyer of sanctioned Russian oil.
In a video message to the Chinese people released hours before his arrival on Tuesday, Putin said relations have reached "a truly unprecedented level", and that "trade between Russia and China continues to grow".
"The close strategic relationship between Russia and China plays a major, stabilising role globally. Without allying against anyone, we seek peace and universal prosperity," Putin said, in a veiled reference to the US.
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