The Chinese leader emphasized “rapidly evolving changes and a turbulent international situation not seen in the last 100 years.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to promote “world peace” in his New Year’s message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“No matter how the international situation changes, China will resolutely deepen reform more comprehensively and promote world peace and development,” Xi said on Tuesday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Since President Putin’s full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022, China has sought to present itself as a neutral party, unlike the United States and other Western countries.
However, China remains a close political and economic partner of Russia, and some NATO members have branded it a war enabler.
According to CCTV, President Xi told President Putin, “In the face of rapidly evolving changes and a turbulent international situation not seen in a century, China and Russia have consistently maintained the correct policy of non-alignment and non-alignment.” We have moved forward hand in hand along the way.” It is conflicting and does not target third parties. ”
The two presidents share strong personal ties, with Xi calling the Russian president a “best friend” and Putin valuing his “trusted partner.”
Although frictions with the West have increased over the past decade, as exemplified by Russia’s war in Ukraine, the relationship between the two countries remains unchanged.
According to CCTV, President Xi pointed out to President Putin that 2024 will mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, and that it will be “a new important milestone in bilateral relations.”
“After a quarter of a century of ups and downs, China-Russia relations have become increasingly mature and stable,” Xi said.
“Everything will be fine.”
In his New Year’s address, President Putin said that Russia achieved important goals in the first quarter of the 21st century, overcoming trials and tribulations and strengthening its unity.
“And now that we’re in the new year, we’re thinking about the future. We’re confident that everything will be fine and we just have to move forward. “We are convinced that this is and always will be the destiny of Russia and the well-being of its people,” he said.
President Putin paid tribute to the Russian soldiers who fought in the Ukraine war, describing them as “true heroes,” but did not elaborate on the situation in the conflict or how the situation on the battlefield will develop in 2025. I did not make any predictions about it.
Meanwhile, in his New Year’s speech, President Xi stated that no one can stop the “unification” of China and Taiwan, and made a clear statement to what the Chinese government considers to be pro-independence forces within and outside Taiwan, which has a population of 23 million people. issued a warning.
“The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family. No one can sever our family ties, and no one can stop the historic trend of national reunification,” the Chinese leader said. Ta.
Tensions have remained high in the sensitive Taiwan Strait throughout the year, particularly since William Lai Ching-de, who is considered a “separatist” by Beijing, was sworn in as Taiwan’s newest president in May. .
