Putin congratulates Xi, hails cooperation
RUSSIA: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday congratulated Xi
Jinping on officially becoming China's President, hailing the two sides'
"strategic partnership" and calling for even closer ties.
Putin told Xi, who is expected in Moscow later this month as part of
his first foreign trip as president, that he also looked forward to
meeting the Chinese leader, the Kremlin said.
In a telephone conversation, Putin "expressed satisfaction with the
development of strategic partnership between Russia and China," the
Kremlin said in statement.
Putin also "underscored (Russia's) interest in expanding cooperation
in all areas, and also strengthening cooperation on the international
arena."
Russia and China jointly blocked three rounds of UN Security Council
sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the past two
years, vowing to continue to coordinate their foreign policies. Although
the exact date of Xi's visit has not been announced, Putin stressed "the
importance of the upcoming state visit of the Chinese leader to Moscow,"
said the Kremlin.
Xi, who was formally named as China's new President by the country's
parliament, is also expected to visit Africa on his first official trip
abroad at attend the BRICS summit of top developing economies in Durban.
AFP
|