Russian and Chinese Presidents Address Urgent Strategic Crisis in Virtual Emergency Summit

Dec. 15, 2021 (EIRNS)—Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for an hour and a quarter today, in a hastily called virtual summit to address the dangerous and fast-moving strategic crisis. The opening statements by the two leaders were open to the press, while the remainder of the meeting was held privately—with readouts provided afterwards by each side.

The tone was set at the outset. Putin waved his hand in greeting and called Xi Jinping his “dear friend.” The Chinese leader responded with the same gesture and a broad smile. Putin noted that the current meeting “makes it possible to discuss the development of Russian-Chinese comprehensive strategic partnership,” Le Yucheng, China’s Vice Foreign Minister said after the meeting, adding that “China-Russia relations are at the best period in history... Xi and Putin have had a total of 37 meetings in the past eight years, and the two heads of state have become really good friends,” Le said.

In his initial remarks, Putin emphasized that “a new model of cooperation has been established between our countries, which is based, among other things, on such fundamentals as non-interference in internal affairs, respect for each other’s interests and the resolve to turn the joint border into a belt of everlasting peace and good neighborliness.” According to the Kremlin report, Putin added that the close coordination between Russia and China on the global stage and a responsible joint approach to solving relevant world issues has become a tangible factor of stability in international relations.

Putin also emphasized the growing economic and trade ties between the two countries, noting that they have also implemented a whole number of large-scale joint projects in the energy sector, including civilian nuclear power engineering, and also in industry and high technologies. In the course of the extended discussion, Putin elaborated that such cooperation extends to the growing ties between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union.

Xinhua paraphrased further comments made by Putin in the course of the discussion regarding the Taiwan situation: “Russia will most firmly support the Chinese government’s legitimate position on Taiwan-related issues, resolutely oppose any force using Taiwan-related issues to harm China’s interests, and resolutely oppose the formation of any form of ‘small circles’ in the Asia-Pacific region”—an evident reference to Washington’s anti-China “Quad” policy. “None of these conspiracies will succeed,” Putin stated, according to the Xinhua account.