Putin and Xi reaffirm Russia-China alliance in Beijing visit
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin received full military honors in Beijing to mark the start of his two-day visit to China. Xi Jinping emphasized that Russia and China are "good neighbors, friends, and partners." Putin noted that these relations are not directed against any other country.
9:02 AM EDT, May 16, 2024
"Of pivotal importance" is that relations between Beijing and Moscow "are neither opportunistic nor directed against anyone," Putin assessed. He added that the current cooperation between Russia and China is a "major stabilizing factor" on the international political scene.
Putin noted that Moscow and Beijing possess "solid resources for practical cooperation."
Xi Jinping expressed his readiness to work with the Russian leader on the "development and renewal of both countries" and on "collaboration for justice (...) in the world." He emphasized that China "will always be a good partner" to Russia.
"Display of ally unity"
The AP agency assesses that Putin's visit to China is a "display of ally unity."
Both countries, ruled by autocratic leaders, established relations 75 years ago. According to the AP agency, the purpose of the visit is to confirm their commitment to "unlimited" relations, which were established just before Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022.
Since then, Moscow has become increasingly economically dependent on China, as Western sanctions have cut Russia off from significant areas of the international trade system.
