MOSCOW, September 18. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the BRICS and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summits, set to take place in Latin America in November, as he himself said at a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang.
"I hope I will have an opportunity to meet with the Chinese president on the sidelines of two big events, the BRICS and APEC summits, that will be held in Latin America in November," Putin said, asking Li Keqiang to convey his "best wishes" to the Chinese leader.
Putin pointed out that early October will mark the 70th anniversaries of the People's Republic of China and diplomatic relations between Russia and China. "Our country - it was the Soviet Union back then - was the first to recognize a new Chinese state. We have come a long way in the past decades as far as cooperation is concerned. Today, we are strategic partners in the full sense of the word, we maintain comprehensive cooperation, which is Russia’s unconditional foreign policy priority," the Russian president added.
He noted that cooperation between the two counties "is undoubtedly a most important factor in global affairs, which is increasingly influencing the economic development of Russia and China, as well as efforts to accomplish tasks aimed at improving people’s living standards that the two countries are facing," Putin specified.
The Chinese prime minister, in turn, said that cooperation between Beijing and Moscow "contributes to the development of the two countries, as well as to regional and global development, particularly amid increasing instability and uncertainty in the global economy." According to Li Keqiang, it is important for China and Russia to continue "boosting friendship, cooperation and bilateral ties" and "joint efforts to make sure that there is a fair global trade system based on WTO rules."
The BRICS summit will take place in Brazil on November 13-14, while the APEC summit is scheduled to be held in Chile on November 16-17.