Ahead Of The Official Meeting With President Putin Today, Xi Jinping: Developing Good Relations Between China And Russia Is A Strategic Choice

President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Russia. (Source: Aleksey Maishev/RIA Novosti via Kremlin)

JAKARTA - Chinese leader Xi Jinping said the decision to establish good relations with Russia was a strategic choice, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement published on its website on Tuesday, ahead of his official meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

"Consolidating and developing good relations between China-Russia is a strategic choice that China has made, based on its own fundamental interests and applicable trends in the world," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on its website, underlining a statement made by President Xi in an informal meeting yesterday., reported TASS March 21.

Furthermore, President Xi also noted, China is firm and clear in pursuing the way to strengthen strategic cooperation with Russia.

The two leaders are also said to be "extorting an in-depth exchange of opinion" on Ukraine. According to Xi Jinping, most countries support tension reduction, support peace negotiations and oppose "accreting fuel into the fire," China's Foreign Ministry wrote.

President Xi assured President Putin that "Chigkok will continue to play a constructive role in promoting the political resolution of Ukraine's problems," the ministry said.

It is known that Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow at around 13.00 local time last Monday. He held an informal meeting with President Putin in the afternoon, followed by plans for dinner, before holding official talks today.

China is known to have released a 12-point paper of proposals related to last month's Russia-Ukraine war settlement. President Xi Jinping said on Monday that the proposal to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict submitted by China reflects global views and seeks to neutralize existing consequences, although he admits it is not easy.

China's proposal represents "as much as possible the unity of world society's views," President Xi wrote in an article in Rossiriska Gazeta.

"This document serves as a constructive factor in neutralizing the consequences of the crisis and promoting a political settlement. Complex problems have no simple solutions," he said.