PUTIN ARRIVES IN BEIJING AS RUSSIA LAUNCHED NEW OFFENSIVE IN UKRAINE

Thu 16 May 2024:

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing early Thursday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Kremlin released a video showing Putin’s arrival in the Chinese capital, where he was welcomed by a ceremonial guard and received a red-carpet reception.

This visit marks Putin’s first trip abroad since beginning his fifth term as president following the March elections.

It is also his first visit to China since October last year, when he attended the 3rd Belt and Road Forum.

The visit comes days after Russia launched a new offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region and as it claims advances on the 1,000km (600-mile) long front line, where Ukrainian forces have been hampered by delayed deliveries of weapons and ammunition from the United States.

Joint statement

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping have signed a joint statement on deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between their nations at a summit that framed their relationship as a stabilising force in a chaotic world.

Speaking at a joint press conference on Thursday, Xi said: “China is willing to … jointly achieve the development and rejuvenation of our respective countries, and work together to uphold fairness and justice in the world.”

Reporting from Beijing, Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu said Xi “made the point that Russia-China cooperation did not target any third party, that it was a mutually respectful, beneficial partnership and that he hoped that the war in Ukraine … would be solved peacefully”.

The Chinese president described the relationship as “a stabilising force in the world in the face of rising hegemony, no doubt referring to the United States”, she added.

Putin expressed gratitude to Xi for efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine.

He criticised the United Nations and the G20, saying that they needed to be depoliticised that that Russia and China “would work together to improve security in the Asia-Pacific”, said Yu.

Putin condemned what he described as “closed alliances in the region”, she added, “no doubt referring to the AUKUS pact [between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States], which Beijing considers as an alliance designed to contain China”.

Trade was an important aspect of the meeting, with Xi highlighting that bilateral trade had increased by 170 percent over the past 10 years with potential to expand.

Describing their initial session as “warm and comradely”, Putin outlined sectors where the two countries are strengthening ties, from nuclear and energy co-operation to food supplies and Chinese car manufacturing in Russia.

Chinese President, Xi told Putin that the relationship between their countries had stood the test of time and that they had provided each other with “strategic guidance” in their more than 40 meetings over the past decade.

“China is ready to work with Russia to stay each other’s good neighbour, good friend and good partner,” state news agency Xinhua reported Xi as saying.

The leaders had declared a “no limits” partnership days before Putin sent his troops into Ukraine in February 2022. In March 2023, when Xi visited Moscow, he described a “new era” in the countries’ relationship, while in October, when Putin last visited Beijing, Xi spoke of the “deep friendship” between them.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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