The president of China, Xi Jinpingsaid to Vladimir Putin that “a change is coming”in a farewell message when leaving Moscow on Tuesday night after his talks with his Russian counterpart.
“A change is coming that hasn’t happened in 100 years. And we are driving this change together.” Xi told Putin through his interpreter.
“Please take care dear friendadded the Chinese president, shaking hands with Putin, who in turn wished Xi “have a good trip”.
It was the closing of two state visit days in which Xi held long meetings with Putin, to whom he presented his peace plan to end the war in Ukraine and with whom he sealed important political agreements and economic.
Previously, the two presidents exposed on Tuesday their “unlimited friendship” during a pomp-filled ceremony in the Kremlin aimed at cementing ties between the two nations amid fighting in Ukraine.
Putin received Xi at a private seven-course dinner lasting four and a half hours. Subsequently, the leaders were in the old imperial palace to hold meetings in which high-ranking officials from both countries participated.
The two leaders toasted to “the development of Russian-Chinese relations and the strategic partnership in the new era”.
“For the prosperity, development and happiness of our peoples, for the friendship between our peoples from generation to generation,” Xi Jinping said.
After the state dinner putin He fired his Chinese counterpart and the Chinese leader’s entourage left the Kremlin, ending Xi’s visit to Moscow.
In addition to addressing the Ukrainian conflict, both leaders closed an agreement to build a gigantic gas pipeline which will carry gas from Siberia to northwest China.
Putin said the negotiations were “meaningful and sincere” and that his country, after having lost a large part of its European market, could satisfy the “growing demand” for energy from the Asian giant.
In a joint statement, the two allies expressed concern about the increasing strengthening of ties between NATO and the countries of the Asia-Pacific region” and accused the Transatlantic Alliance of “undermining regional peace and stability”.
The leaders lavished cordial gestures since the start of the summit on Monday, when they referred to each other as “Dear Friend”.
Show of support for Putin
The summit between Xi and Putin sought to demonstrate unity against the western powersbut did not leave important advances for an eventual ceasefire in Ukraine.
Both nations, keen to counter US international influence, expressed concerns over the NATO expansion and agreed to deepen an alliance which has narrowed since the Russian offensive on Ukraine.
Xi’s plane took off from Moscow’s Vnukovo airport after being seen off by an honor guard who played the Russian and Chinese national anthems, according to the local news agency. RIA Novosti.
The Chinese leader’s visit was interpreted as a accolade to putinwho faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over allegations of illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
The Russian leader stated that he was open to negotiating with Ukraine and praised the 12-point peace proposal submitted by Chinawhich calls for dialogue and respect for the territorial sovereignty of all countries.
“Many points of the peace plan proposed by China (…) can serve as the basis for a peaceful solution, when the West and kyiv are ready for it. But for the moment we do not see willingness on their part, ”he said.
Ukrainian President, Volodimir ZelenskyHe explained that he had invited China to talk, but that he still awaits “an answer.”
The Asian giant tried to position itself as a neutral actor in the Ukraine conflict, but Washington considers that its proposals are “delay tactics” to help and give Moscow more time.
The spokesman for the United States Security Council, John Kirbyruled out that China can be considered “reasonably impartial” in this conflict.
(With information from EFE, AFP, Reuters, AP)
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Source-www.infobae.com