Xi: Sino-Russian relations enter new stage of growth

President Xi Jinping underlined on Wednesday the need for China and Russia to join hands to safeguard global strategic stability amid growing turbulence in the international landscape, while ensuring that bilateral ties develop on the right trajectory.

Xi made the remarks from Beijing during a virtual meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was the first meeting between the two leaders this year as both sides seek to ramp up strategic alignment amid rising global geopolitical tensions.

As Wednesday marked the start of the first of the 24 solar terms on the Chinese calendar, lichun, or Start of Spring, which symbolizes the return of spring and represents a new beginning, Xi expressed his willingness to work with Putin on the auspicious day to jointly chart a new blueprint for China-Russia relations.

Noting that this year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, Xi said the country will proactively expand high-standard opening-up and share new development opportunities with the rest of the world, including Russia.

During their talks, Xi recalled the two meetings between him and Putin in the past year, saying that they have led bilateral ties into a new stage of development.

Both countries solemnly commemorated the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, demonstrating their firm determination to uphold the victorious outcomes of World War II as well as international fairness and justice, Xi said.

Reviewing China-Russia cooperation in the past year, Xi noted that bilateral trade maintained steady momentum, cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between the two countries entered a new stage, and the two nations enhanced multilateral coordination and continued to work toward a more just and reasonable global governance system.

Pointing out that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination, the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, and the launch of the China-Russia Years of Education (2026 and 2027), Xi said the two countries should maintain close high-level exchanges and strengthen pragmatic cooperation in various fields.

Both countries should ensure that bilateral relations continue to develop along the right track through deeper strategic coordination and more proactive assumption of the responsibilities of major countries, he added.

As the international situation has become increasingly turbulent since the beginning of the year, Xi called on China and Russia to work together to maintain global strategic stability.

He emphasized that as responsible major countries and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and Russia have the obligation to encourage the international community to uphold fairness and justice, firmly safeguard the victorious outcomes of World War II, and resolutely defend the UN-centered international system and the basic norms of international law.

The leaders' virtual meeting followed a meeting between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council Sergei Shoigu in Beijing on Sunday. China and Russia held a new round of strategic stability consultation in Beijing on Tuesday.

Putin spoke positively about the development of Russia-China relations in the past year, and said that looking ahead to the new year, Russia is full of confidence in the development of bilateral ties.

He said that both sides should continue to unwaveringly support each other in safeguarding national sovereignty and security, achieve economic and social development and prosperity, and promote cultural and educational exchanges to benefit the people of both countries.

Facing the complex and changing international situation, Putin said that Russia is willing to continue strengthening strategic coordination with China on multilateral platforms such as the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, in order to inject positive energy into international affairs.

Russia will actively support China in hosting the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, he added.

The two heads of state also had an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional hotspot issues of mutual concern.