Chinese President Xi Jinping said today that the friendship between China and Russia has “broad prospects” and noted that there are still “great achievements to be made” by the two countries.
In a letter sent to the Beijing-Moscow Friendship Association to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, Xi said the organization has made “important contributions to promoting mutual understanding and trust between the two peoples.”
“The friendship between China and Russia has broad prospects and there are still great achievements to be made,” Xi wrote, according to local media.
Weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine, on February 4, Xi Jinping received his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Then the two leaders announced the “Without Borders” partnership.
The Asian country has rejected Russia’s condemnation of the invasion of Ukraine and criticized the imposition of sanctions on Moscow. Beijing considered partnership with the neighboring country necessary to oppose the liberal democratic order led by the United States.
At the last UN General Assembly, Beijing did not criticize the mobilization or call for referendums to annex Ukrainian territory by Russia.
Xi also called Putin for “common leadership, in a changing world, that will defend the interests of developing countries.”
During a meeting in Uzbekistan in September, Putin praised the fact that Beijing maintained a “balanced position” on the conflict in Ukraine, while acknowledging “issues and concerns” on the part of China.
In November, the Indonesian island of Bali will host the G20 summit (Germany, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, South Korea, the United States, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the United States. Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced in August that the kingdom, South Africa, Turkey and the European Union), which Putin and Xi will attend.
