“We highly appreciate the balanced position of our Chinese friends in connection with the Ukrainian crisis. We understand your questions and concerns in this regard,” Putin stated in a gap speech of the assembly. “During today’s meeting, of course, we will explain in detail our position on this issue, although we have spoken about this before.”
The two authoritarian leaders have emerged as shut companions in recent times, propelled by rising battle with the West and a robust private bond.
China has supplied tacit assist for Russia’s actions in Ukraine, whereas Moscow has backed Beijing and criticized Washington over US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s go to to Taipei in August. Beijing responded to her journey with unprecedented army drills across the self-governing democratic island, which it claims as its personal territory.
In their assembly Thursday, Putin condemned the United States for what he stated have been “provocations” within the Taiwan Strait, and criticized what he claimed have been makes an attempt to “create a unipolar world.” Those makes an attempt, he stated, have “recently taken an ugly shape and are absolutely unacceptable to most states on the planet.”
The two are holding talks on the sidelines of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional security-focused grouping that additionally consists of India, Pakistan and 4 Central Asian nations.
In a symbolic present of drive and unity, Russian and Chinese navies carried out joint patrols and workouts within the Pacific Ocean simply hours earlier than their leaders’ assembly, based on Russia’s Ministry of Defense.
At the beginning of the assembly Thursday, Putin burdened the deepening financial ties between China and Russia, noting bilateral commerce exceeded $140 billion final 12 months. “I am convinced that by the end of the year we will reach new record levels, and in the near future, as agreed, we will increase our annual trade turnover to $200 billion or more,” he stated.
Putin final met with Xi throughout a go to to the Chinese capital for its Winter Olympics in February this 12 months. It was at that assembly that the 2 leaders framed their “no-limits’ partnership, and released a 5,000-word document voicing their shared opposition to the “additional enlargement of NATO.”
For Xi, meanwhile, Thursday’s meeting comes as part of his first trip outside of China’s borders in more than two years, and just weeks before he seeks to secure a norm-breaking third term at a major political meeting in Beijing — a move that will cement his status as China’s most powerful leader in decades.
China has turned increasingly inward since the beginning of the pandemic, and continues to maintain a strict zero-Covid policy that limits outbound travel.
Xi’s trip to Central Asia is a return to the world stage and offers him an opportunity to show that despite growing tensions with the West, China still has friends and partners and is ready to reassert its global influence.
In a meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday, Xi said China would like to partner with Kazakhstan to “stay pioneers in Belt and Road cooperation.”
Xi also told Tokayev that “China will at all times assist Kazakhstan in sustaining nationwide independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Chinese state media reported.
The Chinese chief traveled to Uzbekistan on Wednesday night and met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. He additionally met the presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan Thursday.
CNN’s Anna Chernova contributed to this report.
