Moscow (diplomat.so) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone conversation where they jointly denounced what they termed as U.S. meddling in the internal affairs of other nations, as reported by the Kremlin.
During a briefing for journalists, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov provided insights into the call, revealing that both leaders emphasized the necessity of establishing a "multipolar, fairer world order" in response to perceived U.S.-led attempts to restrain both nations, identified as Washington's primary adversaries.
While affirming their commitment to ongoing personal interaction, Ushakov clarified that there were presently no immediate plans for reciprocal visits between Putin and Xi.
The discussion also touched upon the evolving dynamics in Ukraine, conflict resolution efforts in the Middle East, and mutual support for China's stance on Taiwan, although specifics were not disclosed.
Economic ties between China and Russia have notably strengthened in recent years amid sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies, with bilateral trade reaching $218.2 billion in the first eleven months of the previous year, surpassing the target set in 2019.
Russia emerged as China's leading crude oil supplier in 2023, according to Chinese data released last month, underscoring the deepening energy cooperation between the two nations.
Looking ahead, Ushakov highlighted the intention to continue joint energy projects throughout 2024.
Notably, both countries have increasingly conducted trade using their respective currencies, moving away from reliance on the U.S. dollar, a sentiment reiterated by Putin and Xi during their call, emphasizing the importance of establishing a robust financial infrastructure for secure transactions.
Chinese state media reported Xi's assertion that China and Russia should pursue close strategic coordination to safeguard their sovereignty, security, and development interests, while collectively opposing external interference in their internal affairs.
Leave a comment