Chinese Defense
Saif
Senior Member
- Jan 24, 2024
- 12,292
- 6,856
- Origin
- Residence
- Axis Group
Putin, Xi praise ties, hours after Trump sworn in
Agence France-Presse . Moscow, Russia 21 January, 2025, 23:03
Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping praised their deepening cooperation in a video call on Tuesday, hours after Donald Trump’s inauguration as United States president.
The Republican has promised to take a hard line on Washington’s adversaries since taking office, threatening heavy tariffs on Beijing and warning Moscow of ‘big trouble’ if it does not settle the Ukraine conflict.
Putin, addressing Xi as his ‘dear friend’, said Russia and China were building ties ‘on the basis of friendship, mutual trust and support’, despite external pressure.
‘Russia and China’s joint work plays an important stabilising role in international affairs,’ Putin said in the call.
Xi, quoted through a translator, praised their cooperation and said bilateral trade was on the rise.
Moscow and Beijing have strengthened military and trade ties since Russia sent troops into Ukraine, alarming the United States, which views both as malign actors on the world stage.
China has sought to depict itself as a neutral party amid the nearly three-year conflict.
But it remains a close political and economic partner of Moscow and has never condemned Russia’s actions, leading some NATO members to brand Beijing an ‘enabler’ of the conflict.
Both sides have made much of Xi and Putin’s supposedly strong personal bond, with Xi calling the Russian leader his ‘best friend’ and Putin lauding his ‘reliable partner’.
Meanwhile, Trade between China and Russia reached a record high last year, official data showed on Monday, reflecting strong economic ties between the countries despite Western sanctions on Moscow.
Combined imports and exports with Russia totalled $244.8 billion in 2024, according to figures published by China’s General Administration of Customs, up slightly from $240.1 billion in 2023.
Agence France-Presse . Moscow, Russia 21 January, 2025, 23:03
Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping praised their deepening cooperation in a video call on Tuesday, hours after Donald Trump’s inauguration as United States president.
The Republican has promised to take a hard line on Washington’s adversaries since taking office, threatening heavy tariffs on Beijing and warning Moscow of ‘big trouble’ if it does not settle the Ukraine conflict.
Putin, addressing Xi as his ‘dear friend’, said Russia and China were building ties ‘on the basis of friendship, mutual trust and support’, despite external pressure.
‘Russia and China’s joint work plays an important stabilising role in international affairs,’ Putin said in the call.
Xi, quoted through a translator, praised their cooperation and said bilateral trade was on the rise.
Moscow and Beijing have strengthened military and trade ties since Russia sent troops into Ukraine, alarming the United States, which views both as malign actors on the world stage.
China has sought to depict itself as a neutral party amid the nearly three-year conflict.
But it remains a close political and economic partner of Moscow and has never condemned Russia’s actions, leading some NATO members to brand Beijing an ‘enabler’ of the conflict.
Both sides have made much of Xi and Putin’s supposedly strong personal bond, with Xi calling the Russian leader his ‘best friend’ and Putin lauding his ‘reliable partner’.
Meanwhile, Trade between China and Russia reached a record high last year, official data showed on Monday, reflecting strong economic ties between the countries despite Western sanctions on Moscow.
Combined imports and exports with Russia totalled $244.8 billion in 2024, according to figures published by China’s General Administration of Customs, up slightly from $240.1 billion in 2023.
