BEIJING: President Xi Jinping declared China’s relationship with Russia as the most stable and strategically significant among major world powers during a meeting in Beijing.
Xi made these remarks while meeting Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of Russia’s State Duma, at the Great Hall of the People on Tuesday.
“The two sides should work together to safeguard the security and development interests of both countries, unite the Global South, uphold true multilateralism, and promote the international order towards greater fairness and justice,“ Xi told Volodin.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that Xi described the bilateral relationship as a stable source of world peace.
Former socialist allies with historically complex relations, Beijing and Moscow have significantly deepened their ties since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
China has consistently refused to condemn the invasion or demand Russian troop withdrawals from Ukrainian territory.
Many Western nations and Ukraine’s allies suspect Beijing has provided substantial support to Moscow throughout the conflict.
Chinese officials maintain their country remains neutral in the conflict while regularly calling for peaceful resolution.
Beijing has repeatedly accused Western nations of prolonging the war by supplying military equipment to Ukrainian forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit China this weekend for multiple high-level engagements.
Putin will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin from 31 August to 1 September.
The Russian leader will also participate in events commemorating the 80th anniversary of World War Two’s conclusion.
Putin and Xi plan to hold bilateral talks during the visit, continuing their well-documented personal relationship.
Xi recently expressed satisfaction during a phone call with Putin about improving Russia-United States relations.
Putin met US President Donald Trump in Alaska this month for discussions about ending the Ukraine conflict.
Progress toward substantive peace talks appears to have stalled following the high-level Alaska meeting. – AFP