Pres. Xi, Putin Underscore Close China-Russia Relations

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) TOKYO, May 16 (KUNA) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday expressed readiness to work with Russian President Vladimir Putin to steer the future direction of bilateral relations and make new plans for cooperation between the two countries, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.
Xi made the remarks during talks in Beijing with Putin, who is in China on a state visit.
Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the China-Russia diplomatic relations, Xi said the two neighbors have found a new path for major countries and neighboring countries to treat each other with respect and pursue amity and mutually beneficial cooperation.
"Both China and Russia are permanent members of the UN 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 globalization," Xi noted.
For his part, Putin pointed out that China-Russia cooperation in world affairs serves as one of the "main stabilizing factors in the international arena," Russia's Tass News Agency reported from the Chinese capital.
"It is of fundamental importance that relations between Russia and China are not opportunistic and are not directed against anyone. Our cooperation in world affairs today serves as one of the main stabilizing factors in the international arena," Putin was quoted as telling Xi.
He also stressed that Russia and China together uphold the principles of justice and a democratic world order that reflects multipolar realities and a world order based on international law.
The Russian leader expressed hope that his current visit would give an additional impetus to the development of the entire complex of bilateral cooperation.
On the economic front, Putin said Moscow and Beijing have accumulated a strong background in practical cooperation and China is Russia's main partner in the trade and economy field.
"By the end of last year, Russia was in the fourth place among China's trade partners. This was directly influenced by the approval of a plan of development of key directions of Russian-Chinese economic cooperation until 2023 following your visit to Moscow in March 2023," he told Xi.
The two leaders also signed and issued a joint statement on deepening China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. (end)
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