Vladimir Putin is in the house. Xi Jinping’s invitation was warmly accepted by Vladimir Putin to attend China’s third Belt and Road Initiative forum. Pres. Putin is in Beijing now.
President Putin joins leaders of 130 nations’ leaders scheduled to discuss the Belt and Road Initiative’s many projects; receive updates; and provide feedback.
According to official PRC documents, “The Belt and Road Initiative calls for mutual support and assistance and is informed by equality, cultural affinity, and empathy. It upholds the principles of seeking common ground while reserving differences, inclusiveness, mutual understanding, communication and dialogue, and interactions on an equal footing.”
For Mr. Putin this is a return visit to China following People’s Republic of China President Xi Jinping visit to the Russian Federation March 20 to 22, 2023. This current meeting was planned at that time. Messrs. Putin and Xi will share some time together on Wednesday.
The two men have made it clear, and appearances confirm, the two leaders have become good personal friends. What is noticeable is that the two men are very stable, concise, decisive, successful leaders, beneficial to their respective nations.
Video: Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, the world’s most seasoned statesman is warmly received in Beijing, China today.
The first footage of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China.
Excerpt from 16 October interview with China Media Group
October 16, 202307:00 The Kremlin, Moscow. History making interview in prelude to the occasion of presidential meetings between China and Russia in Beijing. Interview is conducted by Wang Guan of the China Media Group. Photo credit: Sergei Bobylev / TASS. Photo is cropped to format. Cropping, enhancement: Rosa Yamamoto / Feminine-Perspective-Magazine
In an interview with Wang Guan of the China Media Group, Vladimir Putin candidly spoke about the relationship between China and Russia.
Excerpt …/Vladimir Putin: Relations between Russia and China – you know, I am telling you what immediately comes to my mind after you asked your question – have not been shaped to suite the current global environment; nor are they the result of a short-term political opportunism. Russian-Chinese relations have been shaped for twenty years in a careful, phased-out manner. At each step, the Russian and Chinese sides have both guided themselves by their own national interests as they understood them. While encouraging the other side to take the next step, both have always taken into account each other’s opinions and interests. We have always tried to reach a compromise, even on complicated issues inherited from the old days.
Our relations have always been driven by goodwill. It helped us solve the border delimitation issues that had remained outstanding for 40 years. Our shared desire to remove all possible obstacles to our joint progress in future was so huge that we managed to compromise in a mutually acceptable way. And then we began to develop economic cooperation, also gradually, filling the niches that were once owned by other countries in our relations, but were not as effective as our mutual cooperation in a particular area. For instance, in the area of energy that has a special place in our relations. Russia now ranks first among Chinese partners in the supply, for example, of energy to China in value terms.
China progressively became Russia’s first trade partner in terms of trade turnover, and Russia gradually rose to the sixth place among China’s trade and economic partners.
What would I note? We had different ratios for exports and imports at different times. For our part, we have tried to cover the needs of the Chinese economy, and our Chinese friends have never ignored our views as regards some imbalances, particularly in trade in manufactured goods. We have been gradually, step by step and year by year increasing and improving this trade balance. That is the way we are advancing in almost every area.
Not to mention the role that Russian-Chinese relations play in ensuring stability in the world. Relation between Russia and China are a fundamental factor.
All of this together leads us to believe that we are moving in the absolutely right direction and in the interests of both the Chinese and Russian peoples.
/… End excerpt from interview
Update: Day one.
Above: With Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban. Photo Credit: Grigoriy Sisoev, RIA Novosti
The Russian delegation at the talks also included Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, Director General of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Alexei Likhachev and Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller.
Below: Video of Vladimir Putin and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh held a meeting in Beijing, China.
Above Video source: RT
People’s Republic of China President Xi Jinping and guest Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin lead the procession of 130 nations to the great hall for the banquet.