Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing early this morning for talks with Xi Jinping, and the Kremlin hopes to deepen the strategic partnership between the two most powerful geopolitical rivals of the USA, reported Reuters, quoted by BTA.
In February 2022, China and Russia announced a "borderless" partnership. Putin then visited Beijing just days before sending tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine and launching Europe's deadliest ground war since World War II.
By choosing China for his first foreign trip since being sworn in for a six-year term that will keep him in power until at least 2030, Putin is sending a message to the world about his priorities and the depth of his personal relationship with Xi, says Reuters.
In an interview with China's Xinhua news agency, Putin praised Xi for his help in building a “strategic partnership” with Russia based on national interests and deep mutual trust.
„The unprecedentedly high level of strategic partnership between our countries determined my choice to make China the first country I would visit after officially taking office as president of the Russian Federation,” Putin said.
„We will try to establish closer cooperation in the field of industry and high technology, space and nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, artificial intelligence, renewable energy sources and other innovative sectors,” Putin said.
Putin, 71, and Xi, 70, will attend a gala evening marking 75 years since the Soviet Union recognized the People's Republic of China, proclaimed by Mao Zedong in 1949.
Xinhua confirmed Putin's arrival, and state media in China described the visit as a state visit from an "old friend".
The United States identifies China as its biggest competitor and Russia as the country that poses the greatest threat. US President Joe Biden claims that this century will be defined by an existential struggle between democracies and autocracies, notes Reuters.
Putin and Xi share a broad worldview that sees the West in decline, just as China challenges the US.
Putin will also visit the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin, which has strong ties with Russia.
Putin's arrival was preceded late last month by a mission to Beijing by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, in part to warn China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, that China was stepping up military support for Russia.
Putin and Xi will hold informal talks over tea tonight and touch on Ukraine, Asia, energy and trade.
Newly appointed Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Policy Adviser Yuriy Ushakov will also attend, along with Russia's most powerful state-owned enterprise directors.< /p>
At the moment it is not clear whether the executive director of “Gazprom“ Alexey Miller will go to China, as he was on a working visit to Iran yesterday.