During a Friday videoconference with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed their comprehensive strategic partnership as growing “mature and resilient.”
Putin said that bilateral relations have “passed all the tests” and continued to “grow dynamically.”
JOINTLY OPPOSING “COLD WAR MENTALITY”
Noting that the world had arrived at “another historical crossroads,” Xi said that there was an ongoing “tug of war” between those wanting to “revert to a Cold War mentality, provoke division and antagonism, and stoke confrontation between blocs” and those wanting to “promote equality, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation,” which was “testing the wisdom of statesmen in major countries.”
In a veiled reference to Western powers that have repeatedly sanctioned Russia over its “special military operation” in Ukraine, and China for its human rights practices, Xi said that “facts have repeatedly proven that containment and suppression is unpopular, and sanction and interference is doomed to fail.”
He pledged to “join hands” with Russia and “all other progressive forces” who “oppose hegemony and power politics” and “reject any unilateralism, protectionism, and bullying” and “firmly safeguard” both sides’ “sovereignty, security, and development interests.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin invites his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to visit over next few months, as leaders spoke via video call pic.twitter.com/z2OFkdwpUw
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) December 30, 2022
To this end, Putin also expressed Moscow’s “firm support” for Beijing’s position on the Taiwan issue and its commitment to the One China principle.
Putin added that “despite the unfavourable external situation, the illegitimate restrictions and patent blackmail” from “certain Western countries,” Russia and China had managed to achieve “record high growth rates” in trade.
The Russian president noted that their bilateral trade had increased by 25% last year, and that, if this trend continues, they will achieve their $200 billion target for 2024 ahead of time.
COMMENTS ON UKRAINE
Xi remarked that China had acknowledged Russia’s statement that it “has never refused to resolve the conflict through diplomatic negotiations” and commended the stance.
President Xi Jinping just had a virtual meeting with President Vladimir Putin. pic.twitter.com/mwRFlNhE2r
— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) December 30, 2022
Conceding that although the “path of peace talks will not be a smooth one,” Xi said that “as long as parties do not give up, there will always be prospect for peace.”
He promised that Beijing would “continue to hold an objective and impartial position” on the war, and try to “play a constructive role” in its “peaceful resolution.”
FUTURE ALIGNMENT
Xi and Putin agreed to:
- Maintain close collaboration in international affairs,
- Uphold the authority of the United Nations (UN) and the status of international law,
- Stand for true multilateralism,
- Fulfil their responsibilities as major countries,
- Lead by example on issues such as protecting global food and energy security,
- Continue encouraging parties of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to enhance solidarity,
- Show greater mutual support on issues concerning one another’s core interests,
- Jointly resist interference and sabotage by external forces,
- Actively advance BRICS membership expansion,
- Uphold the common interests of emerging market countries and developing countries,
- Closely cooperate in sectors of trade, traditional and new energy, finance and agriculture,
- Advance the development of border ports and other infrastructure of connectivity, and
- Deepen people-to-people and cultural exchange.