Xi Jinping tells Putin China-Russia ties should continue for generations
Xi Jinping welcomes Putin in Beijing (Getty Images)
In a recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in Beijing, Xi reassured Putin that the ties between their nations remain strong and should continue for generations, according to Bloomberg.
Xi emphasized that China is willing to work with Russia as a good neighbor, friend, and partner based on mutual trust. He expressed readiness to "to consolidate the friendship between the two peoples for generations to come."
Putin, on his first foreign trip since starting his fifth term, acknowledged that cooperation is one of the main stabilizing factors on the international stage.
Beijing-Moscow ties during war against Ukraine
Xi's and Putin's statements underscore the close relationship developed between their countries in recent years. They proclaimed a "no-limits friendship" just weeks before Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and have met over 40 times since Xi came to power in 2012.
Putin aims to secure continued economic and trade support from China, which it provided after the attack on Ukraine in early 2022. The US has warned China about its trade with Russia, threatening sanctions on banks crossing red lines.
The world's second-largest economy has become an indispensable ally for Russia, relying on China as a market for its energy resources and a supplier for its military needs.
With sales of Russian oil and gas, as well as purchases of electronics, industrial equipment, and automobiles, trade between Moscow and Beijing reached a record $240 billion in 2023, more than doubling from 2020.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Beijing has offered diplomatic and economic support to Russia. Consequently, Ukrainians perceive China as a hostile country - according to a survey by the Razumkov Center, more than half of respondents hold this view.
