Kazan: Chinese President Xi Jinping reassured Russian President Vladimir Putin that despite global turmoil, the strategic partnership between China and Russia would continue to be a stabilizing force. The leaders met in the Russian city of Kazan during the opening of the BRICS summit, where Xi emphasized the strength of their alliance amidst the most profound geopolitical changes in a century.
“At present, the world is going through changes unseen in a hundred years, the international situation is intertwined with chaos,” Xi told Putin. “But I firmly believe that the friendship between China and Russia will continue for generations, and great countries’ responsibility to their people will not change.”
In recent years, Beijing and Moscow have strengthened ties, driven by shared interests in countering U.S. influence. Xi and Putin’s partnership presents a united front against what they perceive as Western decadence and decline. In May, the two leaders pledged a “new era” of collaboration, describing the United States as a Cold War hegemon creating instability.
Russia, embroiled in its conflict with NATO-supported Ukrainian forces, and China, facing U.S. opposition to its growing military and economic power, have found common cause in pushing back against historical grievances. Both nations have felt the sting of European colonial dominance and the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, which they view as humiliating events that shaped the modern global order.
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The U.S. views China as its main competitor and Russia as the largest nation-state threat. President Joe Biden has referred to Xi as a “dictator” and Putin as a “killer” and “crazy SOB,” comments that have drawn sharp rebukes from both Beijing and Moscow.
Putin, referring to Xi as his “dear friend,” hailed their partnership as a key stabilizing factor in an increasingly volatile world. “Russian-Chinese cooperation in world affairs is one of the main stabilizing factors on the world stage,” Putin said, affirming Moscow’s commitment to continued coordination with Beijing on global security and promoting a just international order.
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Xi further underscored the importance of the BRICS platform, calling it “the most important platform for solidarity and cooperation between emerging market countries and developing countries in the world today.” He also described the group as a key driver in realizing a more balanced global multipolarity and promoting an inclusive approach to economic globalization.
