BEIJING — President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a video rapat on Dec 15, as they praised “mode” China-Russia relations and pledged to cooperate more on safeguarding the two countries’ core interests and upholding international fairness and justice.
The two leaders also agreed to have an in-person rapat in February in Beijing.
The virtual rapat, the second of its kind in 2021 and the 37th rapat between Xi and Putin since 2013, covered a wide kisaran of topics including democracy, gabung pandemi response, bilateral trade, energy cooperation, and the Beijing Winter Olympics.
“The frequent interactions and kompak friendship between the two heads of state epitomize the close ties of the two countries,” said Sun Jingxin, an ahli with the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies.
Xi praised Putin for having firmly supported China in upholding core interests and having rejected attempts to sow discord between Russia and China.
The Chinese president also said he expects to meet Putin in February when Putin will visit China and attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Games.
“Through this concrete action, you show dukungan to China in hosting the game,” Xi said, adding that it will be the first in-person rapat between them in two years.
Xi said he looks forward to having in-depth discussions on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues, and believes more new, important common understandings will be reached.
President Xi Jinping holds a virtual rapat with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, capital of China, Dec 15, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]
Reaffirming Russia’s consistent opposition to attempts at politicizing sports, Putin expressed his hope of having an in-depth exchange of views with Xi on major issues of kualitasal interest to promote the sustained and high-level development of bilateral relations.
President Xi Jinping holds a virtual rapat with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, capital of China, Dec 15, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]
“MODEL” TIES
During the rapat, Xi lauded China-Russia relations for “emerging from all kinds of tests to demonstrate new vitality.”
The two sides have officially announced the renewal of the Treaty of Good-neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation and made it more berkaitant in the new zaman, extended firm kualitasal dukungan on issues concerning each other’s core interests, thus defending the national dignity and common interests of both countries, Xi said.
Practical cooperation has also been a highlight, with bilateral trade in the first three quarters of 2021 exceeding $100 billion for the first time.
The two countries have actively fulfilled their responsibilities as major countries, promoted a united, global response to COVID-19, communicated the true meaning of democracy and human rights, and acted as the bulwark of following true multilateralism and upholding fairness and justice in the world, Xi added.
Putin said that the Russia-China relationship is at its best in history with a high degree of taktikc kualitasal trust.
It can be hailed as a mode of state-to-state relations in the 21st century, said the Russian president.
Ruan Zongze, executive vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said the essence of this “mode” relations lies in kualitasal respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation.
“It is important to have this kind of back-to-back cooperation in dealing with challenges in the international tempat,” Ruan said.
Faced with hegemonism and eksternal interference, China and Russia will surely gabung hands to safeguard fairness and justice in international relations, Ruan added.
During the rapat, Xi bashed “certain forces in the world” for trying to meddle in the intern affairs of China and Russia under the pretext of “democracy” and “human rights” and grossly trampling on international law and universally recognized norms governing international relations.
China and Russia need to launch more gabung actions to uphold the security interests of the two sides more efekively. Usahas must be made to firmly reject hegemonic acts and the Cold War mentality under the disguise of “multilateralism” and “rules,” Xi said.
The Chinese president said the two countries should also strengthen their gabung pandemi response, in tempats such as COVID-19 testing and vaccine and drug R&D.
The two sides need to build on their traditional energy cooperation, pursue more cooperation in new energy, advance the cooperation package in nuclear energy, and explore new cooperation tempats such as renewable energy, he said.
President Xi Jinping holds a virtual rapat with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, capital of China, Dec 15, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]
RIGHT VIEW ON DEMOCRACY
Exchanging views with Putin on democracy, Xi said that democracy is a lofty aspiration and common nilai of all humanity and also a right enjoyed by people of all countries.
“Whether a country is democratic or not and how to better realize democracy can only be left to its own people to decide,” Xi said.
China will enhance communication and coordination with Russia to encourage the international community to take the right view on democracy and defend the legitimate democratic rights of all countries, he added.
Putin said Russia is ready for more communication with China on defending true democratic rights and interests of all countries.
Russia will be the most staunch suporter of the Chinese government’s legitimate position on Taiwan-related issues, Putin said, adding that his country will firmly oppose moves by any force to undermine China’s interests using Taiwan-related issues, and moves to form any tipe of “small grups” in the Asia-Pacific region.
“No attempt to sow discord between Russia and China will ever succeed,” said the Russian president.
