Putin, Xi sign joint statement on deepening Russia-China strategic partnership

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday signed off on a joint statement on deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between their countries.

The statement was adopted by the two presidents following narrow and expanded talks held in the Russian capital Moscow, where Xi arrived a day earlier on a four-day visit to take part in an annual military parade in Moscow's Red Square on May 9, in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day.

Victory Day is celebrated on May 9 in Russia and other countries, including some former Soviet states, to commemorate the Soviet Union's victory against Nazi Germany during World War II—a conflict Russia calls the Great Patriotic War.

During a news conference in the Kremlin following the signing ceremony, during which both countries also adopted a joint statement on global strategic stability, Putin described his negotiations with Xi as “very meaningful and productive.”

Noting that bilateral ties between Moscow and Beijing have reached their highest level in history, Putin said these relations are “self-sufficient” and “do not depend on domestic political factors or the current world situation.”

Putin further said that almost all of the trade conducted between Russia and China are carried out based on their respective national currencies, and that they have built a “stable system” of mutual trade that is “reliably protected from the influence of third countries and negative trends in world markets.”

The Russian president also said that his country and China have suffered the greatest losses during World War II, adding that both Moscow and Beijing are jointly advocating to preserve the “historical truth” about their victory in World War II as “a common value for humanity.”

For his part, Xi called for strengthening political mutual trust, as well as the intensification of strategic cooperation, between their countries, underlining the importance of remaining as reliable partners “in the spirit of mutual benefit and joint prosperity.”

He went on to argue that China and Russia should stand by each other as “stabilizing, positive and progressive” factors in the international community, adding that they will “weather any storm and overcome any obstacles hand in hand.”