President Vladimir Putin visited China after his inauguration in May
Russia expects a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping next year, Moscow’s envoy to Beijing, Igor Morgulov has announced. The diplomat described the two nations as key guarantors of global stability.
Sino-Russian relations have deepened over the past few years, with Beijing adopting a neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict and refusing to join Western sanctions against Russia.
Speaking to RIA Novosti on Friday, Morgulov said that plans for official visits were already being worked out. “Next year, a visit by the chairman of the People’s Republic of China is expected,” he added.
Soon after his reelection as Chinese president at the 2023 National People’s Congress, Xi’s first state visit was to Moscow, where he met with his Russian counterpart. President Vladimir Putin reciprocated the following May, after securing his fifth term in office.
Morgulov described the past twelve months as “quite successful” for Sino-Russian ties, which “essentially serve as an example of responsible relations between large global powers.” The ambassador stated that Moscow and Beijing are not merely like-minded partners, but rather “guarantors of strategic stability on the entire planet” that advocate for democratic principles in international relations.
According to the Russian diplomat, “no actions by hostile powers, which are openly proclaiming their intentions to harm our peoples’ wellbeing, are capable of stopping the steady development of Russian-Chinese cooperation.”
He lauded China’s “balanced” stance on the Ukraine conflict, noting Beijing’s peace efforts and that China’s proposals could lay the groundwork for any future talks between Moscow and Kiev.
The Chinese leadership understands Russia’s security concerns regarding NATO’s eastward expansion towards Russia’s borders, Morgulov said. The envoy added that the US and its allies have been increasing their military presence in the Indo-Pacific region, inching ever closer to Chinese territory in a similar fashion.
During his meeting with President Xi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan in July, Putin stated that Russia-China bilateral relations were “going through the best period in their history.” The Russian president stressed that they are “guided by the principles of equality, mutual benefit and respect for each other’s sovereignty” and “not directed against anyone.”
In October, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov met with the vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, Zhang Youxia, in Beijing, with the two officials confirming that their nations would expand security cooperation.
