The Russian leader said he expected the Chinese president to make a state visit to Moscow in 2023.
President Vladimir Putin told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that Russia’s relationship with China was “the best in history”, adding that Moscow would seek to strengthen military cooperation with Beijing.
The two leaders spoke via video link on Friday and Putin said he expected Mr. Xi to make a state visit to Moscow in 2023. If it happens, it will be a public display. declared Beijing’s solidarity in the context of Moscow’s massive military campaign in Southeast Asia. Ukraine.
In his introductory remarks from the video conference broadcast on state television, Putin said: “We are expecting you, dear president, dear friend, we are expecting you next spring. during a state visit to Moscow.”
He said the visit would “demonstrate to the world the closeness of Russia-China relations”.
Speaking for about eight minutes, Putin said Russia-China relations are developing day by day importance as a stabilizing factor, and that he wants to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries.
In a response that lasted about a quarter of the time, Xi said China was ready strengthen strategic cooperation with Russia in what he called a “difficult” situation in the world at large.
Neither of these refers directly to Ukraine.
In the first day of this month, Russia and China conducted joint naval exercises, which the Russian military chief described as a response to the “aggressive” US military posture in the Asia-Pacific region.
Russia is China’s top oil supplier
Putin also said that Russia has become one of the top suppliers of oil and gas to China.
“Russia has become one of the leading countries in terms of oil exports to China,” with 13.8 billion cubic meters of gas transported through the Power of Siberia pipeline in the first 11 months of 2022.
Russia overtook Saudi Arabia to become China’s top crude oil supplier last month.
Putin added that Russia is China’s second-largest gas supplier and fourth-largest in terms of liquefied natural gas (LNG). In December, shipments were 18 percent above their daily contractual obligations, he said.
Moscow’s energy exports to China have increased markedly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24. Although Western countries impose unprecedented sanctions towards Russia, China has refrained from condemning its military campaign, emphasizing the need for peace instead.
But Beijing has also been careful not to provide the kind of direct material support that could provoke Western sanctions against China.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said last month that his country’s energy exports to China have increased by 64% in value this year and 10% in volume.
Last week, Putin inaugurated a gas field in eastern Siberia that would allow Russia to increase energy exports to China as the West seeks to cut its dependence on Moscow.
China and Russia get closer together in recent years as part of what they call an “unlimited” relationship that serves as a counterweight to US global dominance.
