Xi Jinping to visit Russia to discuss deepening their strategic cooperation with Vladimir Putin
Sylvie Claire / March 18, 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia next week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced Friday.
"At the invitation of Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from March 20 to 22," the ministry said in a statement without further details.
The two leaders met in September on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan.
For their first meeting since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, they had displayed their willingness to support each other and strengthen their ties in the midst of the crisis with the West.
A few months earlier, the Russian president had visited the Winter Olympics in Beijing. Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin had then proclaimed their friendship "without limit ».
Shortly afterwards, Vladimir Putin launched his troops against Ukraine.
China is essentially a neutral party in the war in Ukraine, but in recent months has strengthened its ties with Moscow.
Beijing issued a 12-point document last month urging Moscow and Kiev to hold peace talks.
The text also opposes any use of nuclear weapons and calls for respect for the territorial integrity of all countries - including Ukraine, part of whose territory is under Russian control.