All news

Chinese president arrives in Moscow on state visit

This is Xi Jinping’s first foreign tour on the post of China’s president

MOSCOW, March 22 (Itar-Tass) – Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Russia on a state visit on Friday. The plane made a landing at Vnukovo’s airport.

This is Xi Jinping’s first foreign tour on the post of China’s president. According to Chinese reports, this fact proves the special relationship between the two countries.

Xi Jinping said he “is impatient to see” Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

In an interview with Itar-Tass, the Rossiiskaya Gazeta daily and All-Russia State Television ahead of the visit to Moscow, Xi Jinping said, “I’m impatient to see President Putin. Earlier I met Putin, who praised relations with China. We find the common language in many aspects. I remember this well.”

“Due to the intensive efforts by both countries in the past 20 years Chinese-Russian relations have reached the level of strategic partnership. The border was solved in full. The solid base for our political relations was set up,” the Chinese leader said.

Speaking of Sino-Russian relations, Xi said they “have entered a new stage where China and Russia give each other excellent opportunities for development and are priority partners for each other in cooperation. Our countries have many points of contact and great possibilities for mutually advantageous cooperation in both developing bilateral relations and settling major international and regional issues,” the Chinese president said.

When asked about priority objectives for the coming years, Xi expressed confidence that the two countries would be able to “translate the benefits of high-level political relations into actual results of practical cooperation.” He also called for stepping up efforts to bring bilateral trade turnover to 100 billion U.S. dollars by 2015.

In an interview with Itar-Tass, President Vladimir Putin said, “The commonality of Russian-Chinese approaches to fundamental issues of world order and key international problems has become an important stabilising factor in world politics.

“Today the Russian-Chinese relations are on the rise, they are the best in their centuries-long history. They are characterised by a high degree of mutual trust, respect for each other's interests, support in vital issues, they are a true partnership and are genuinely comprehensive,” Putin said.

Experts believe that Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia can really bring relations between the two countries to a new level. Observers do not rule out any progress in energy cooperation. During the visit, documents on oil and gas interaction can be signed.

The visit’s agenda is very intensive. Over 20 events are expected to take place in the course of Xi’s visit to Russia. Year of China Tourism in Russia will be opened.

The Chinese president will address students of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, take part in a ceremony of opening a museum of the 6th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, attend the Russian Defence Ministry, meet Russian Chinologists and mass media representatives.

During the first foreign tour, which will last till March 30, Xi Jinping will visit Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo. While in South Africa, he will take part in the 5th BRICS summit (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).