ASTANA: Russian President Vladimir Putin told Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday that relations between Moscow and Beijing were stronger than ever before. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana.
The SCO summit, which includes Russia, China, and four Central Asian states along with India, Iran and Pakistan, among its members, serves as a platform for bolstering political and economic cooperation across Eurasia. Both leaders positioned the SCO as a crucial component in fostering a multipolar world order and countering US hegemony in global affairs.
In opening remarks of meeting with Xi that were published on Russian state TV, Putin praised the SCO’s role in “strengthening its position as one of the fundamental pillars of a fair multipolar world order,” underscoring the organization’s significance in advancing strategic interests.
“Russian-Chinese relations, our comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation, are at their peak in history,” Putin affirmed. He reflected on the deepening ties between Moscow and Beijing since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which triggered severe Western sanctions.
Xi Jinping echoed Putin’s sentiments, referring to Putin as his “old friend” and affirming that Sino-Russian relations have reached a “high level.” “In the face of the turbulent international situation and external environment, the two sides should continue to uphold the original aspiration of friendship for generations to come,” Xi said.
Beijing has become Moscow’s key political and economic partner since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022, triggering a raft of Western sanctions.
Both leaders arrived in Astana with agendas focused on solidifying anti-Western alliances and expanding influence in Central Asia. They highlighted the SCO and other forums, such as BRICS, as pivotal in promoting genuine multilateralism and countering unilateral actions.
Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov highlighted the SCO’s role, stating, “We consider the SCO, along with BRICS, as the main pillars of the new world order and catalysts for establishing true multilateralism in global affairs.”
Despite their deepening partnership, Russia and China have also competed for influence in the Central Asian region, historically aligned with Moscow due to cultural, linguistic, and economic ties. China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at enhancing international infrastructure and trade routes, has posed a challenge to Russia’s influence in the region.
Central Asia holds strategic importance for both nations, rich in natural resources and serving as a vital overland transport corridor linking China to Europe. The region’s geopolitical significance has heightened amid global economic uncertainties and geopolitical rivalries.
