Accepting President Xi Jinping In The Kremlin, Vladimir Putin Calls Russia-China Cooperation Developing And Strengthening For The Sake Of The People

President Putin welcomed President Xi Jinping in the Kremlin. (Source: Sergei Karpukhin / TASS via Kremlin)

JAKARTA - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to increase cooperation, trade and investment between the two countries when they met in the Kremlin, Moscow on Tuesday.

President Putin welcomed Leader Xi in an official ceremony at the Hall of St George, the Great Palace of the Kremlin on Tuesday afternoon. He arrived at the main entrance and walked to the second floor along the main stairs, with his guard of honor on both sides.

The two leaders of the big country greeted each other. Orchestra plays the national anthem of Russia and China. Members of delegates from the two countries attended the ceremony.

President Putin expressed his belief that the cooperation between Moscow and Beijing will develop in the interests of the people of the two countries.

"I believe that our diverse and mutually beneficial cooperation will continue to strengthen and develop dynamically in the interests of the people of the two countries," said President Putin, launching TASS on March 21.

Meanwhile, Xi's leader said relations between Russia and China showed stable development dynamics.

"Thanks to joint efforts, Russia-Chingkok relations show healthy and stable development dynamics. Political mutual trust between our countries is being built, common interests are doubling, our people are getting closer. Cooperation in trade and economy, investment, energy, culture, humanity, and dimensions between regions is developing," explained the Chinese leader.

The trade turnover between Russia and China hit record figures in 2022, despite pandemic pressures and sanctions, with this year expected to hit $200 billion, President Putin said.

"Despite the consequences of the pandemic and the pressure of sanctions, trade in 2022 hit a record high of 185 billion US dollars. It is hoped that this year Russia and China will not only reach the 200 billion US dollars trading volume that we agreed with our friends a few years ago, but they will also surpass this milestone," hoped President Putin.

The Russian leader added that over the past year, the reciprocal trading volume had grown by more than 30 percent.

According to him, additional opportunities to meet the economic potential of the two countries are given by interconnecting the Eurasian Economic Union and the Presidential Belt and Road Initiative of China.

President Putin and Xi Jinping held talks at the Ekaterina Hall. Then, negotiations were continued in the Alexander Hall with other delegates who participated, while the signing of the documents would be carried out at the Malachite Foyer. This event will end with a state dinner at the Segi Palace.

The Russian delegation included Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov, deputy prime minister Denis Manturov, Dmitry Chernyshenko, Tatyana Golikova, Alexander Novak, Yury Trutnev, Minister of Defense Sergey Shoigu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, Minister of Transportation Vitaly Savelyev, Head of Bank Rusia Elvira Nabiullina, Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, as well as aide to presidents Yury Ushakov and Maxim Orestkin.