Enthusiastic Accepting Xi Jinping's Invitation To Visit China Next Month, President Putin: Aligning Our Ideas

Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Source: RIA Novosti via Kremlin.ru)

JAKARTA - Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was enthusiastic about accepting Chinese leader Xi Jinping's invitation to visit China in October to attend the One Belt Forum, One Road.

"I am of course happy to accept the invitation of the President of China to visit China in October as part of an event promoting the idea of One Belt, One Road (One Belt, One Way) promoted by the President (Tiongkok), which has become an international brand," said President Putin when receiving a visit. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, launched TASS 20 September.

President Putin further explained that this was in line with the interests of Moscow and Beijing.

"Because this reconciles our ideas to create a broad Eurasian space. We are quite in sync," said President Putin.

Earlier, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said preparations for the Kremlin Leader's visit to the Bamboo Curtain Country were underway, with a certain date to be announced in due course.

Separately, Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolay Patrushev said relations between Moscow and Beijing based on the principles of mutual respect, not interfering in internal affairs with each other, and supporting each other on the international stage, "are basically strong and do not rely on changing situations."

"This approach has been repeatedly confirmed at the highest level, particularly in a joint statement adopted by the two countries during China's President Xi Jinping's state visit to Russia on 20-22 March 2023," Patrushev said.

It is known that the Belt and Road Initiative, a concept proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, aims to symbolically recreate the ancient Silk Road. The goal is for China to be able to access markets in Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and other areas, as well as intensify international trade and investment projects involving many countries in line with the use of Chinese and foreign capital.