BEIJING, August 9. /TASS/. Timely coordination between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Xi Jinping of China is extremely important for both countries as they seek to resolve global issues, Li Haidong, professor at China Foreign Affairs University, said.
"Over the past week, there have been some new developments regarding the Ukraine crisis and US-Russia relations. The fact that China and Russia held a timely phone conversation to align their policies is of great indicative significance for the two sides to join hands under the new circumstances to overcome or resolve regional and global issues," he told the Global Times newspaper, commenting on Friday’s phone call between Putin and Xi.
According to the political scientist, timely communication between the Chinese and Russian leaders "is a hallmark of their interactions, enabling prompt consultations on key concerns, deepening mutual understanding, and delivering greater results in tackling challenges."
Cui Heng of the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, in turn, pointed out that the upcoming Russia-US summit "would help lay the groundwork for further engagement," even though the Ukraine conflict "is unlikely to be resolved in a single meeting." The expert added that China's stance on the Ukraine crisis remained consistent, and the country welcomed any progress toward peaceful resolution.
Hao He, research fellow with the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the paper that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) could play an important role in the current international developments, with its summit set to be held in China from August 31 to September 1. The expert believes that "China and Russia are likely to coordinate in advance on how to strengthen cooperation among leading members and help all SCO states better respond to future uncertainties."
Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he expected to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15. Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov confirmed later that the meeting was scheduled to be held in Alaska next Friday. This will be the first Russia-US summit since Trump’s return to the White House.