News Feed, China, Russia, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Russian-Chinese relations

Putin to visit China on May 16-17, meet Xi

by Martin Fornusek and The Kyiv Independent news desk May 14, 2024 12:14 PM 2 min read

Russian leader Vladimir Putin and China's leader Xi Jinping at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on Oct. 18, 2023. (Grigory Sysoyev/Pool/AFP)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China on May 16-17 to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, the state-owned news agency RIA Novosti reported on May 14, citing the Kremlin's press service.

This would be Putin's first trip abroad since he was inaugurated for his fifth term in office after the March election, widely seen as rigged.

Xi and Putin plan to discuss a range of issues regarding their bilateral partnership and strategic interaction and identify key areas for future cooperation, the Kremlin's statement read.

The two leaders are expected to sign a joint statement and a number of bilateral documents.

WTF is wrong with Russia?

Putin will also meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang and visit the city of Harbin to take part in the opening ceremony of the eighth Russian-Chinese EXPO and the fourth Russian-Chinese Forum on Interregional Cooperation.

Putin previously visited China last October to attend the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing.

China officially declares itself a neutral party to Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine, but Washington has continued to sound the alarm on Beijing's support of Moscow's defense industry.

Beijing has also become Russia's economic lifeline amid tightening Western sanctions imposed on Moscow in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Authors: Martin Fornusek, The Kyiv Independent news desk

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