Chinese leader Xi expresses 'readiness to work with Putin'

Beijing: Following Russian President Vladimir Putin's arrival in Beijing, China's President Xi Jinping expressed readiness to work with the Russian leader to jointly steer the future direction of bilateral relations between the two countries, reported Xinhua.

During large-group talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China's President said that the two sides should take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties as a new starting point, further synergize development strategies, and continue to enrich bilateral cooperation, to bring greater benefits to the two countries and peoples.

As Putin's motorcade of nearly 20 vehicles, escorted by a formation of motorcyclists dressed in ceremonial white uniforms, arrived outside the Great Hall of the People, the two countries' anthems were played to the accompaniment of a gun salute, before the two leaders walked along the red carpets, Al Jazeera reported.

Xi expressed his readiness to make new plans for cooperation between the two countries in various fields, as reported by Xinhua.

China's leader, Xi, noted that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of China and said that the country is advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts and moving faster to foster new productive forces through high-quality development, which will add new drivers to global economic growth.

He further stressed that both China and Russia are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and major emerging markets. It is the shared strategic choice of both countries to deepen strategic coordination, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and follow the general historical trend of multipolarity in the world and economic globalisation, Xinhua reported.

Xi highlighted that this is the Russian President's first foreign visit after he began his new term as president, stressing that this shows the great importance President Putin and the Russian government attach to developing China-Russia relations.

Later, in discussions, the Chinese President greeted Putin as an "old friend" and said that China and Russia's relationship had stood the test of time and that they had provided each other with "strategic guidance" in their more than 40 meetings over the past decade.

As part of Putin's visit to China, he was scheduled to travel to Harbin, the capital of China's northeastern Heilongjiang province, where he would attend trade and cooperation forums.

The region, historically plagued by border tensions between China and Russia, has seen increased connectivity in recent years, fostering closer economic and cultural ties between the two neighbours. Additionally, Putin's itinerary included a visit to the Harbin Institute of Technology, a university sanctioned by the US government for its alleged involvement in supplying items to China's military.

This engagement underscored the importance of educational and scientific cooperation in enhancing bilateral relations between China and Russia, CNN reported.

(ANI)