Before his visit to China, Russian President Putin emphasized that Russia-China friendship is not aimed at any third party, and seeks peace and common prosperity.
Putin will arrive in Beijing on Tuesday night. The two heads of state will hold talks on Wednesday.
Putin stated that Russia and China support each other on core interests such as safeguarding sovereignty and national unity, and maintain active cooperation within multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
According to Russia's Sputnik News Agency, Putin delivered a video speech to extend sincere greetings to the Chinese people. He highly praised the current state and future prospects of Russia-China relations, stressing that the special character of Russia-China ties is reflected in mutual understanding and trust. Both sides are conducting cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, holding mutually respectful dialogue, and supporting each other on core interests, including defending sovereignty and national unity.
Putin said: "Russia and China are closely coordinated, jointly safeguarding international law and the integrity, entirety, and interrelatedness of the UN Charter, and maintain active collaboration within the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, and other multilateral bodies, making important contributions to resolving urgent global and regional issues."
Putin described regular mutual visits and China-Russia head-of-state meetings as an important and indispensable part of jointly developing the all-round relations between the two countries, unleashing their truly unlimited potential. He also referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as an "old friend," stating that he is very pleased to visit Beijing again at the invitation of his old friend, President Xi Jinping.
On the other hand, Zhang Hanhui, the Chinese ambassador to Russia, wrote in China's official newspaper People's Daily on Tuesday that China and Russia have built a new type of major-country relationship that surpasses traditional military-political alliances.
In his article titled "Head-of-State Diplomacy Steers China-Russia Relations Through the Waves," Zhang Hanhui stated that for a long time, leaders of China and Russia have maintained close communication and propelled a series of historic and landmark achievements in China-Russia relations, providing the most fundamental and reliable guarantee for the steady and far-reaching development of bilateral relations.
He emphasized that China-Russia relations are not affected by the changing international landscape, nor shaken by the interference of external forces, demonstrating strong intrinsic momentum and lasting strategic resilience.