On March 21, formal talks took place in the Kremlin between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping. At the Grand Kremlin Palace, the leaders of the two states held close and prolonged talks with members of the delegations, signed joint statements on the development of cooperation between the countries and spoke with journalists. RTVI quotes the main points raised during the meeting.
What Putin said
the negotiations were fruitful and constructive; Russian-Chinese relations have reached the highest level in their entire history; many points of the plan proposed by China for the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict can form the basis of a peace process – but only when Kiev and Moscow are ready for it; The West will “fight to the last Ukrainian not in words, but in deeds” – this is confirmed by plans to supply depleted uranium shells to Ukraine; the positions of Russia and China on most issues on the international agenda coincide; the Russian side will expand liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries to China and make them uninterrupted; Russian companies are able to meet China’s growing energy demand; the trade turnover between Russia and China in 2022 reached an all-time high of 185 billion dollars and can be significantly increased due to the export of Russian meat and grain to China; China is Russia’s leading partner in the “economic development” of the Far East; Moscow advocates the introduction of yuan settlements for transactions with countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America; Russia fully supports the idea of creating a sports association within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO); Moscow and Beijing can achieve global leadership in computing, network security and artificial intelligence if they join forces in these areas; Russia expects that in the near future it will be possible to “many times” increase the scale of student exchanges with China, especially given the lifting of coronavirus restrictions.
What Xi Jinping said
negotiations with the President of Russia turned out to be frank and friendly; Sino-Russian relations go beyond bilateral relations and play a vital role in the “modern world order”; the two countries will strengthen cooperation on the platforms of SCO, BRICS, G-20; Beijing intends to adhere to the principles of the UN Charter and maintain an “impartial position” regarding the Ukrainian crisis, as well as to advocate for “peace and dialogue” in the resolution of the conflict; China and Russia, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, will continue to uphold the basic norms of international relations, as well as develop a constructive force for the formation of a multipolar world; the growth of Russian-Chinese trade shows that the parties can give impetus to bilateral socio-economic development; Moscow and Beijing will implement comprehensive planning in the field of trade, including in the IT sector and resource trade; Russia and China will contribute to economic recovery in -pandemic period and ensure food security.
a joint statement Putin and Xi after the talks
nuclear powers must not place nuclear weapons outside their territory and must withdraw them from abroad; attempts to replace universally recognized principles and norms of international law with a “rules-based order” are unacceptable; Russian-Chinese relations have reached the highest level in their history and continue to develop gradually, however, they do not represent a military-political alliance and are not directed against third countries; Russia and China intend to support each other in protecting each other’s core interests, primarily sovereignty, territorial integrity and security; Moscow and Beijing have agreed to regularly conduct joint sea and air patrols and joint exercises; Russia and China to Strengthen Cooperation to Fight “Color Revolutions”; both States oppose attempts to use outer space for armed confrontation and will oppose such activities; Moscow and Beijing express great concern over NATO’s strengthening ties with Asia-Pacific countries on military issues and call on the alliance to respect other states’ sovereignty and interests; both countries oppose all unilateral sanctions imposed by circumvention of the UN Security Council.
After the talks, a gala dinner was held in the Faceted Chamber of the Grand Kremlin Palace, during which Putin toasted the health of the President of China and members of the Chinese delegation, as well as to the deepening of the partnership and the prosperity of the two countries, and Xi to the strategic partnership and interaction in a new era and the happiness of the people.
