The president of China, Xi Jinping, arrives in Russia on a state visit. Photo: Sputnik/Ilya Pitalev.
Yesterday, the Chinese president’s plane landed on the tarmac of the Vnukovo-2 international airport, reserved for official delegations, reported a journalist from Sputnik. President Xi was received by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Chernishenko and a military band.
According to Flightradar data, more than 100,000 people have been following the itinerary of Xi’s plane.
Upon landing in Moscow, the Chinese leader extended his greetings and best wishes to the Russian government and people.
“China and Russia are good neighbors and reliable partners linked by mountains and rivers,” said President Xi. “10 years ago, during my first visit to Russia as president of the People’s Republic of China, President Putin and I turned a new page in the comprehensive development of China-Russia relations. Over these 10 years, bilateral ties have been strengthened and developed on the basis of non-alignment, non-confrontation, and non-attack on third parties, creating a new pattern of interstate relations in the spirit of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation.”
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In addition, President Xi continued, mutual trust was deepened, practical cooperation was expanded, and close and effective interactions were carried out in the international arena.
“China and Russia, as major powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council, play an important role in international affairs,” said President Xi. “In a far from calm world, China is ready to support Russia in vigorously upholding a UN-centric international system, upholding a world order based on international law and fundamental norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, pursuing genuine multilateralism, promoting a multipolar world and democratizing international relations, and promoting global governance in a more just and rational direction.”
Xi concluded that he is confident that his visit will be “fruitful and provide new impetus to the development of relations with Russia.”
For President Xi, it is the first trip abroad since his re-election as head of state for a third term.
The visit will last from March 20 to 22 and, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, it will promote the development of relations between Moscow and Beijing and will help strengthen mutual trust. President Xi’s talks with Putin are expected to focus on bilateral cooperation issues and lead to the signing of important agreements.
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Another issue that both leaders will discuss is the Chinese peace initiative that seeks to end the conflict in Ukraine.
The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, stated that “Ukraine will undoubtedly be on the agenda” of the meeting between Putin and Xi and assumed that the points of the Chinese plan “will be dealt with in some way” during that exchange of views. “President Putin will offer comprehensive explanations so that President Xi can see firsthand the Russian view of the current time,” he added.
On February 24, China formulated 12 key proposals for the political solution of the Ukraine crisis, namely: respect the sovereignty of all countries, abandon the Cold War mentality, cease hostilities, resume peace talks, resolve the humanitarian crisis, protect civilians and prisoners of war, maintain the safety of nuclear power plants, reduce strategic risks, facilitate grain exports, end unilateral sanctions, keep industrial and supply chains stable, and promote post-conflict reconstruction.
(Sputnik)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/KW/SL
