BEIJING, March 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- China-Russia relations have been injected with more substance as a new chapter for bilateral ties has been launched after Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Monday to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Terming the visit "a journey of friendship, cooperation and peace," Xi said ahead of the trip that the aim is to jointly work with Putin to "adopt a new vision, a new blueprint and new measures" for the growth of China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the years to come.
The two leaders on Tuesday held a "frank and fruitful" dialogue and signed joint statements aimed at strengthening the overall China-Russia partnership and deepening cooperation in investment, energy and other fields.
The agreements come on the back of productive results achieved in years of all-round cooperation. Trade between China and Russia has expanded substantially, with the two-way volume exceeding $190 billion in 2022, up 116 percent from a decade ago. Meanwhile, bilateral collaboration in scientific and technological innovation, cross-border e-commerce and other emerging areas has shown strong momentum.
Consolidating mutual trust
Xi's trip to Russia is his ninth since he was elected China's president 10 years ago. In a signed article published by Russian media, he said there is "a clear historical logic and strong internal driving force for the growth of China-Russia relations."
Over the past decade, China and Russia have cemented political mutual trust, which derives from both countries' commitments to no-alliance, no-confrontation and not targeting any third party in developing their ties. The two sides also share a vision of lasting friendship and win-win cooperation and firmly support each other in following a development path suited to their respective national realities.
In his meeting with Putin, Xi noted that Russia is also the first country he visited as president and that he and his Russian counterpart have stayed in close touch over the past 10 years. Such high-level interactions, which involved drafting cooperation blueprints and timely communication on international issues, have played a strategic role in leading China-Russia relations, according to Xi.
In March 2013, Xi spoke on the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind during a speech at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Since then, he has proposed a series of initiatives aimed at promoting global peace and development in the context of increasing connectivity.
Consistent with the Xi-proposed Global Security Initiative is China's position on the Ukraine crisis, which calls for a political settlement to resolve the conflict. During his trip, Xi reaffirmed China's "impartial, objective" stance. Putin, for his part, welcomed China's efforts to push for peace and said Russia is committed to the resumption of peace talks.
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