On the second day of his official visit to Russia, Xi said the visit has a “historical logic” because “we are the biggest neighboring powers and strategic partners at all levels.”
Xi Jinping referred to Russia today as the “priority” he places on “strategic” relations between Moscow and Beijing, two “great powers”, thus underscoring the spirit of understanding between himself and Vladimir Putin vis-Ã -vis the West amid conflict in Ukraine.
On the second day of his official visit to Russia, Xi said the visit has a “historic logic” because “we are the biggest neighboring powers and strategic partners at all levels.”
The Chinese president, speaking during his meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, also said Beijing “will continue to give priority to the global strategic partnership between China and Russia,” according to statements carried by Russian news agencies. .
Xi, who is expected to meet Putin today after a first meeting yesterday on Monday, also said he had invited the Russian president to visit China “when he can this year”, despite an arrest warrant issued last week by the International Criminal Court against the head of the Kremlin.
According to the Chinese news agency Xinhua, Xi invited Putin to China this year for the third Belt and Road Initiative Forum for International Cooperation. He also invited Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to visit China and called for regular meetings between the prime ministers of the two countries. Putin attended the first two Belt and Road conferences held in China in 2017 and 2019.
The conflict in Ukraine will be at the heart of talks expected to start today at around 14:00 GMT between Xi and Putin, following their “informal” meeting yesterday in which one called the other “dear friend”. During the first meeting, which lasted more than four hours, Putin appeared ready to discuss Beijing’s initiative to end the conflict.
The Kremlin said today that Putin and Xi had a “thorough” exchange of views on the first day of their talks and discussed Beijing’s peace plan for Ukraine.
“There was a very thorough exchange of views, a serious discussion in the informal part,” he said referring to yesterday’s meeting.
He said the two leaders talked about China’s proposal — a 12-point document calling for de-escalation and an eventual ceasefire in Ukraine — but again declined to provide further details.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is in Ukraine
As Xi expresses his support for Moscow amid strained relations with Western countries, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected in Ukraine today for an unannounced visit.
Kishida is expected to convey to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “his respect for the courage and perseverance of the Ukrainian people defending their homeland under his leadership as well as the solidarity and unwavering support for Ukraine from Japan and the Group of 7 (G7),” Japanese diplomacy said.
Fumio Kishida has so far been the only head of government or state of the group of the world’s seven most advanced industrialized countries not to have been to Kiev since the start of the Russian military’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Source :Skai
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