XI TELLS PUTIN HE WANTS TO BOOST COORDINATION WITH RUSSIA

Tue 21 March 2023:

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, for formal talks at the Kremlin on Tuesday, the second day of his three-day trip.

It’s Xi’s first visit, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine — and Beijing has billed the trip as a peace mission, but has not yet indicated, if a formal call with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, will also take place.

Xi has invited Putin — whom Xi called his “dear friend” upon arrival for the state visit — to visit China later this year. It’s another show of support for Moscow, as a war crimes arrest warrant increasingly isolates the Russian head of state.

Putin and Xi appear to be positioning themselves, as the leaders of a new global order, opposed to U.S. power. The White House has accused Xi ,of providing “diplomatic cover” for Putin, after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant, for his arrest.

Russia is ready to help Chinese businesses replace Western firms that left: Putin

Putin says Russia is ready to help Chinese businesses replace Western firms that have left Russia over the war in Ukraine during formal talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

The Russian president also said he had discussed the proposed Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which would ship Russian gas to China, with the Chinese leader.

Xi also said in the meeting that he wanted to “strengthen coordination and cooperation with Russia”.

“I propose strengthening our coordination and cooperation,” he added.

HOW FAR CAN CHINA AND RUSSIA’S ‘NO LIMITS’ PARTNERSHIP GO?

NATO chief warns China against supplying Russia with weapons

NATO’s Jens Stoltenberg warned China against supplying weapons to Russia as leaders of both countries continue talks in Moscow.

“We haven’t seen any proof that China is delivering lethal weapons to Russia, but we have seen some signs that this has been a request from Russia, and that this is an issue that is considered in Beijing by the Chinese authorities,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels.

“China should not provide lethal aid to Russia that would be to support an illegal war.”

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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