Putin in China: 'New stage of friendship'
Russian President Vladimir Putin was welcomed with a red carpet and military honors in Beijing, calling Chinese President Xi Jinping his 'dear friend'.
TL;DR
- Putin was welcomed with military honors in Beijing, calling Xi Jinping his 'dear friend'.
- Both leaders described their bilateral relations as reaching an 'unprecedentedly high level' and entering a 'new stage'.
- They discussed energy cooperation, with Russia as a key supplier to China, and the potential for a new gas pipeline.
- The 20-year Sino-Russian Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation was extended.
- Xi criticized 'unilateral hegemony' and called for a fairer global governance system.
- Putin's visit follows Donald Trump's recent visit to China.
- China faces a delicate balance in its relationship with Russia due to the Ukraine invasion, while seeking to maintain ties with the West.