China and Russia forge stronger Eurasian economic ties as Vladimir Putin gets behind Xi Jinping’s belt and road plan in face of US hostility
- Vladimir Putin gets behind Beijing’s massive infrastructure initiative as rivalries grow with the United States
The leaders of China and Russia called their countries “good friends” and vowed to work together for greater economic integration in Eurasia amid growing economic and military rivalries with the United States.
On the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin pledged to further improve bilateral ties.
“China and Russia have enjoyed the highest level of mutual trust, the closest cooperation and huge strategic importance,” Xi was quoted by state broadcaster CCTV as saying.
“Russia is an important partner in co-building the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ … The two countries should strengthen international cooperation and adhere to multilateralism,” Xi added, calling for greater cooperation in areas ranging from trade to aerospace.
Putin offered his support for the Beijing-led initiative, saying Xi had “built an important platform for expanding international cooperation”.
“Russia is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, and work with China in energy, connectivity and other major projects,” he said.
Xi launched the initiative in 2013 to boost infrastructure and trade among nations from Asia to Africa and Europe.
It is also seen as a way for China to tap into opportunities in Eurasia, where prospects for growth have been overlooked by other world powers.
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Earlier in the day in their speeches to the forum, the two leaders also echoed one another in their calls for multilateralism – a subtle rebuke of US influence.
Putin – who was in Beijing after meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Vladivostok on Thursday – also stressed the need for shared growth, saying the Chinese initiative and Russia’s Eurasia vision are both designed to promote shared prosperity.
“The Belt and Road Initiative is to strengthen cooperation and to provide harmonious development in Eurasia, and these goals bring us together here in Beijing,” Putin said.
“The growing trends of protectionism, illegitimate sanctions imposed that bypass the United Nations Security Council and even trade wars are slowing the world economy and creating new conflicts.”
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Russia has long promoted the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), aiming for greater economic cooperation and integration on the continent.
“Countries gathering under the Belt and Road Initiative and EAEU share long-term strategic interests of peace and growth,” he said.
Both China and Russia have strained ties with the United States. Beijing and Washington have yet to settle their trade war, and Moscow and Washington signalled the start of another arms-race era in February by withdrawing from a key arms control agreement.
The Xi-Putin meeting was followed by a ceremony to award the Russian leader an honorary doctorate from Tsinghua University.
“Today, witnessed by my good friend President Xi Jinping, Tsinghua University has given me an honorary doctorate. I feel very honoured and deeply moved,” Putin said.
“Russia-China education exchanges and cooperation have developed rapidly, and both sides have a large number of international students studying in each other’s countries ... I hope that the students will study hard and inherit the friendship between Russia and China to build a beautiful tomorrow of the Russia-China relations.”
