FROM EIR DAILY ALERT
Putin and Xi Address Economic, Political Collaboration, and Korean Settlement, in Vladivostok Talks
Sept. 11, 2018 (EIRNS)—Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for talks on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok today. This was President Xi’s first time attending the EEF as President, although his seventh visit to Russia in that capacity. In comments before the meeting Putin told Xi that Moscow and Beijing’s relations were based on trust in areas ranging from politics to security and defense. Putin also said he expects trade volumes between the countries to reach $100 billion by the end of this year, up 30% over 2017.
Both leaders addressed the strategic situation. Putin said: “Our relations are critical, not only for our countries, but for the world as well.” Xi added that the partnership “allows us to jointly neutralize the external risks and challenges, and to assist joint development.”
According to Putin, the Chinese delegation to the EEF included about 1,000 people, of the 6,000 in attendance. “This is understandable, because the volume of our relations is very large,” Putin said, according to Sputnik.
Following their meeting, Putin said Russia and China will continue joint efforts to settle North Korean issue. “We will continue with our joint efforts on the political and diplomatic settlement of the situation on the Korean Peninsula in line with the Russian-Chinese roadmap,” Putin said.
“We support steps taken by the authorities of China and North Korea on the restoration of bilateral relations and hope for the efficiency of another inter-Korean summit in Pyeongyang.... We firmly believe that an important element in the overall settlement of the situation on the Korean Peninsula is the normalization of relations between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the United States.”
The two Presidents also participated in a roundtable discussion on bilateral regional cooperation with representatives of their regions that collaborate with each other. “There are several dozens of cooperating pairs” of Russian and Chinese regions, Putin said. “We place great importance on this, and Chairman Xi Jinping spoke about it directly at today’s meeting.
