Putin to Discuss Global Issues Including Ukraine with President Xi Jinping

Meeting with the President during the China visit on the 4th... Various discussions on regional, global, and trade issues
Some Western countries including the US criticize diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Russian President Vladimir Putin, ahead of his visit to China, showcased Russia-China relations by stating, "Russia and China are strategic partners for the future."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Putin, who is visiting China on the 4th ahead of the opening ceremony of the '2022 Beijing Winter Olympics,' made this statement in an interview with the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

President Putin said, "Russia and China are deepening their relations year by year based on the principles of mutual benefit, political and ideological freedom," adding, "Despite the difficult situation caused by the pandemic (COVID-19), we have been striving to strengthen our economic partnership."

He specifically stated that during his visit, he would have various discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping on regional and global issues. President Putin said he would focus on economic and trade cooperation issues in his talks with President Xi. He mentioned that the two countries would discuss long-term development tasks related to finance, production, technology, and human resources, aiming to achieve stable joint economic growth through these efforts.

President Putin said that a mutually beneficial energy alliance between the two countries is being formed, including natural gas, oil, and coal, and that Russia will carry out joint energy-related projects with China beyond supplying oil and gas. He cited the construction of four new nuclear power plants in China as a representative example. Russia participated last year in the construction of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in Jiangsu Province and the Xudabao Nuclear Power Plant in Liaoning Province.

President Putin continued, "Russia and China will have opportunities to develop partnerships in various fields including information and communications, medicine, space exploration, and the international lunar research base project," emphasizing, "These opportunities will further strengthen the bilateral relationship."

President Putin said that the development of Siberia and the Far East is a strategic task for Russia and expressed hope for Chinese investment and technological participation. He explained that Russia is promoting the modernization of the Trans-Siberian Railway and plans to increase its transportation capacity by 2.5 times by 2024. He also mentioned plans to develop port infrastructure in the Far East region and expressed expectations for the participation of Chinese companies.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Putin stated that discussing global issues (Ukraine) with President Xi is also one of the important purposes of this visit to China. He emphasized, "Russia and China have similar and consistent positions on global and regional issues," adding, "The two countries will continuously promote the democratization of the international relations system and build a more equal and inclusive international relationship."

He particularly stressed that the United Nations (UN) should play a central coordinating role in international issues and said that Russia and China will work to prevent the collapse of the international legal system.

President Putin also mentioned the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics. He criticized that although the Olympics are an international sports event, some countries (the United States and other Western countries) are attempting to politicize sports for their own interests, calling it a wrongful act that violates the Olympic spirit and principles.

He added that China has perfectly prepared for the international event and expressed his belief that China will be able to host a successful Olympics.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.