Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed Friday that bilateral relations with China «have withstood all tests» and «represent a model of cooperation between superpowers in the 21st century,» during a videoconference conversation with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
«Our relationship has withstood all tests, has demonstrated maturity and resilience and continues to expand dynamically,» Putin said, stressing that Moscow and Beijing will continue to strengthen their cooperation at the military level, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported.
He stressed that cooperation in this field occupies «a special place in the complex of Sino-Russian cooperation» and argued that «it contributes to ensuring the security of both countries and maintaining stability in key regions».
«We intend to strengthen interactions between the armed forces of Russia and China,» Putin said, who also revealed that Xi will pay a visit to Moscow during the spring of 2023. «I have no doubt that we will find an opportunity to meet in person,» he assessed.
«We are waiting for you, dear president, dear friend. We are waiting for you for a state visit to Moscow during next spring,» he has said, while stressing that «this will demonstrate to the whole world the firmness of Russia-China ties and will be the main political event of the year at the level of bilateral relations.»
Putin and Xi met in September face to face for the first time since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, triggered on February 24 by the invasion order given by the Russian leader. China has shown its support for Russia and has held the United States and NATO responsible for what it describes as military expansionism.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
