Vladimir Putin is set to travel to China in May for talks with Xi Jinping, according to reports, in what could be the Kremlin chief’s first overseas trip of his new presidential term.
The Chinese President congratulated his counterpart on his re-election yesterday, saying it ‘fully reflects the support of the Russian people’, despite it coming amid a brutal suppression of dissent.
The Russian despot has tightened his grip on power for another six years after authorities claimed he received 88 per cent of the vote, in an election which was overshadowed by the death and imprisonment of opposition figures.
Western governments condemned the result as unfair and undemocratic, while friends of the Russian President who head up autocratic and undemocratic states, including China, welcomed his victory.
Beijing hailed it as a chance to promote relations with its largest neighbour, with its foreign ministry congratulating Putin and assuring him that the two states will be ‘strategic cooperative partners in the new era.’
Vladimir Putin is set to travel to China in May for talks with Xi Jinping in May, according to reports (pictured together last year)
The Russian despot has tightened his grip on power for another six years after authorities claimed he received 88 per cent of the vote in the election
Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press conference yesterday that Putin and Xi ‘will continue to maintain close exchanges’ and ‘lead the two countries to continue to uphold longstanding good-neighbourly friendship’.
As China vowed to continue to ‘move forward’ relations with Russia, sources claimed that Putin will visit the country in May – in what is set to be his 20th trip there since he took power.
‘Putin will visit China,’ one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.
The details were independently confirmed by four other sources, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
Another of the sources said Putin’s trip to China would probably take place in the second half of May, while two said the visit would come before Xi’s planned trip to Europe.
Asked about the reports, the Kremlin said that several foreign trips were being planned for Putin and that preparatory high-level contacts were underway for them.
According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Xi congratulated Putin on his election win on Monday, telling him: ‘I believe that under your leadership, Russia will be able to achieve greater achievements in national development and construction.’
He reportedly added: ‘China attaches great importance to the development of China-Russia relations and is willing to maintain close communication with Russia to promote the sustained, healthy, stable and in-depth development of (bilateral ties).’
Reports in Chinese newspapers of Putin’s re-election as President of the Russian Federation are displayed at a newsstand in Beijing, China, 19 March 2024
A vendor stands next to traditional Russian wooden nesting dolls, Matryoshka dolls, depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping
Meanwhile Putin praised Beijing, saying he was ‘sure that in the coming years we will only strengthen and build up our relations and achieve common successes for the benefit of the Chinese and Russian peoples’, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
‘The most important thing is the coincidence of state interests. This creates a very good tone for solving common problems in the field of international relations,’ Putin is quoted as saying.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
China has further strengthened its trade and military ties with Russia in recent years as the United States and its allies imposed sanctions against both countries, particularly Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine.
The two countries declared a ‘no limits’ partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing just days before the invasion.
The trip would be Putin’s 20th to China since he took power, with his first visit in 2000. The leaders are pictured together in 2016
Foreign diplomats and observers said they expected Putin to make China his first stop after being re-elected. Putin’s formal presidential inauguration is due to take place around May 7.
Putin told reporters on Sunday that Russia and China shared a similar global outlook, enjoyed resilient relations in part due to Putin and Xi’s good personal relations and that Moscow and Beijing would develop ties further in coming years.
Xi visited Russia in his first post-pandemic overseas trip in March last year, shortly after commencing his precedent-breaking third term as Chinese president.
The two leaders have often touted their close personal friendship and have met over 40 times, most recently in October when Putin was the guest of honour at China’s Belt and Road summit in Beijing.
China-Russia trade hit $218.2 billion during January-November, according to Chinese customs data, exceeding a goal to increase bilateral trade to over $200 billion by 2024 that was set by the two countries.
Xi, in a call with Putin last month, said both sides should resolutely oppose interference in domestic affairs by external forces, indicating the US.
Chinese vice foreign minister Sun Weidong said bilateral ties were ‘at their best in history’ when meeting his Russian counterpart in Moscow last month, according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout.
China is considering taking part in a peace conference aimed at ending the war in Ukraine to be hosted by neutral Switzerland in the coming months, its ambassador to Bern told local media on Monday.
Beijing launched a 12-point Ukraine ‘peace’ plan last year but so far has not taken significant steps to resolve the conflict besides attending Western-led peace talks in Jeddah last summer.
China’s special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui met officials in five European capitals including Moscow and Kyiv earlier this month.