Welcome to Moscow: The new Michurinsky prospekt (Avenue) station of the 70km-long Big Circle Line of the Moscow Metro decorated with Chinese characters in preparation for Xi’s visit to the city. Putin said if the agenda permits, he will be happy to show it to Xi. — AP
Beijing: President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from Monday to Wednesday, a trip expected to further deepen mutual trust, boost bilateral cooperation and contribute to building a multipolar world.
“At a time when the world is entering a period of uncertainty and transformation, the significance and influence of the China-Russia relationship goes far beyond the bilateral scope,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Friday.
It will be Xi’s first overseas trip since he was elected Chinese president last week and also his first visit to Russia since the Ukraine crisis broke out in February last year.
According to the spokesman, during the visit, Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and major international and regional affairs.
Li Yonghui, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, said the China-Russia relationship is an exceptional and important one among state-to-state relations.
“Under the guidance of the two heads of state, bilateral ties between the two countries have withstood tests and are steadily moving forward,” Li said.
She added that in recent years China-Russia relations have witnessed growing political mutual trust and fruitful results of cooperation in various fields, including trade and the economy, finance, agriculture, science and technology, as well as cultural exchanges.
On the Ukraine issue, the spokesman said China will uphold an objective and fair position and play a constructive role in promoting peace talks.
“We always believe that political dialogue is the only way to resolve conflicts and disputes. Acts such as fanning the flames, imposing unilateral sanctions and maximum pressure will only intensify tensions and make things worse,” he said.
Xi’s plans to meet with Putin in Moscow highlighted China’s aspirations for a greater role on the world stage. But they also revealed the perils of global diplomacy: Hours after Friday’s announcement of the trip, an international arrest warrant was issued for Putin on war crimes charges, taking at least some wind out of the sails of China’s big reveal. — China Daily/ANN/AP
