Russian President Vladimir Putin embarked on a two-day state visit to China on Thursday morning, marking his first overseas trip since commencing a new presidential term, as reported by CNN. The visit underscores the burgeoning ties between Moscow and Beijing, which have been strengthening amidst mounting tensions with Western powers.
Putin’s arrival in China coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s announcement of halting all forthcoming international visits, amid Russia’s ongoing advances in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, along with the Gaza conflict, are anticipated to be key topics during Putin’s meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, alongside discussions on bolstering trade, security, and energy cooperation, according to CNN.
In an interview with Chinese state media Xinhua prior to his trip, Putin lauded the “unprecedented level of strategic partnership” between Russia and China, emphasizing the aim to reinforce foreign policy coordination and deepen collaboration across various sectors including industry, high-tech, space exploration, nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy. Notably, Putin commended China’s diplomatic approach to resolving the crisis in Ukraine.
Despite global condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Beijing has maintained a stance of ‘neutrality,’ refraining from outright criticism while advocating for peace talks considering both sides’ perspectives. The diplomatic, trade, and security ties between Russia and China have continued to flourish since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with bilateral trade reaching record levels last year amidst sanctions imposed by numerous countries targeting Russia.
Putin’s visit marks the fourth in-person meeting between him and President Xi Jinping since the commencement of the Ukraine conflict, and his second trip to Beijing during this period. The leaders are slated to sign several bilateral agreements, with a “gala event” planned to commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, as detailed by Chinese state media.
In addition to engagements in Beijing, Putin is expected to visit Harbin, the capital of China’s northeastern Heilongjiang province, bordering Russia’s Far East, where he will participate in trade and cooperation forums, further cementing the growing ties between Russia and China.
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