Xi urges ‘close strategic coordination’ with Putin

BEIJING: China’s President Xi Jinping told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the two countries should pursue close strategic coordination and defend the sovereignty, security and development interests of their respective countries, state media said.

During a phone call with Putin on Thursday, Xi said both sides should resolutely oppose interference in internal affairs by external forces, state broadcaster CCTV said.The two countries should also cultivate new dynamics of cooperation and maintain the stability of the industrial chain and supply chain, Xi was quoted as saying.

Putin and Xi met twice last year as China-Russia trade hit $218.2 billion during January-November, according to Chinese customs data, achieving a goal set by the two countries in 2019 a year ahead of schedule.

Russia meanwhile leapfrogged Saudi Arabia to become China’s top crude oil supplier in 2023, Chinese data showed last month.The two countries would press on with joint energy projects in 2024, Ushakov said.

Putin and Xi also discussed the situation in Ukraine and conflict resolution in the Middle East and see eye to eye on those conflicts, he said, without elaborating. Russia supported China’s policy on Taiwan, he said.

Moscow and Beijing have increasingly carried out trade in roubles and yuan as they phase out trade in US dollars. Putin and Xi stressed on their call that it was important to build “financial infrastructure that ensures reliability of payments”, Ushakov said.

Chinese state media said Xi told Putin the two countries should pursue close strategic coordination and defend the sovereignty, security and development interests of their respective countries.