Xi Jinping to Meet Putin Tomorrow to Discuss Ukraine and Taiwan Issues

Poetry Annotation, Overseas Trip After 2 Years and 8 Months
Leaders of Both Countries Meet for the First Time in 7 Months Since February This Year

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Kim Hyunjung] Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to hold a summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Uzbekistan on the 15th. They plan to discuss major issues such as Ukraine and Taiwan.

According to major foreign media on the 13th (local time), President Xi will hold a bilateral summit with President Putin during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from the 15th to 16th. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said at a briefing that "President Putin and President Xi will discuss bilateral agendas and major regional and international issues at the summit scheduled for the 15th," adding, "They will give a positive assessment of the unprecedentedly high level of trust in the strategic partnership between the two countries." Earlier, the Russian ambassador to China also hinted at the possibility of the meeting.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has neither confirmed nor denied the meeting between President Xi and President Putin. Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing on the 13th in response to a question about the China-Russia summit, "Summit diplomacy is the most important political guarantee for stable and long-term China-Russia relations," and added, "If there is any related news, it will be announced immediately."

This will be the first direct meeting between the two leaders in seven months since February and the first since the outbreak of the Ukraine war. President Xi held a summit with President Putin, who visited Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 4, twenty days before Russia invaded Ukraine. On the 7th, Li Zhanshu, the third-ranking official in China’s power hierarchy and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, visited Russia and met with President Putin. At that time, Chairman Li emphasized the importance of future China-Russia cooperation, stating that "stability was achieved in a short period despite sanctions from the United States and the West."

The agenda of this summit is expected to include the Ukraine war and the Taiwan issue. The two leaders are anticipated to support each other's positions on Ukraine and Taiwan, consistent with their previously maintained stances. Aide Ushakov explained, "China clearly understands the reasons why Russia had no choice but to conduct a 'special military operation,'" adding, "There will be in-depth discussions on this issue at the upcoming summit." Russia also supports China’s position on Taiwan, having condemned the visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan last month as a "provocation" and criticized the United States.

During this visit, President Xi will also hold separate meetings with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan, and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan. Spokesperson Mao Ning said, "They will exchange in-depth views on bilateral relations, cooperation in various fields, and international and regional issues of common interest," adding, "They will present a new blueprint, specify new goals, and build new momentum for the development of China-Kazakhstan and China-Uzbekistan relations."

The SCO, which will hold the summit in Samarkand, was established in 2001 under the leadership of China and Russia to discuss cooperation in Central Asia and counter-terrorism. Member countries include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, India, and Pakistan.

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