Leaders Meet at SCO Summit
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on Monday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, discussing bilateral ties and international and regional issues, as reported by The Times of India. The two-day summit gathered leaders from several countries, according to The Star.
According to China's state-run Xinhua, Xi said that under the two countries' "strategic guidance and joint efforts," the foundations of bilateral relations would become stronger and prospects brighter. "Uncertainties and unpredictable factors in the international situation have increased markedly," Xi said, adding that people's pursuit of peace, development, and cooperation remained unchanged. As per Reuters, Xi also said China was willing to work with Russia and others to "strengthen the forces leading the reform of global governance and advancing an equal and orderly multipolar world."
Putin Highlights AI and Digital Cooperation
Putin told Xi that Moscow aimed to expand cooperation with Beijing in artificial intelligence and digital innovation. "Cooperation is successfully developing on all fronts," Putin said ahead of their talks, according to both The Star and The Times of India. "Digital innovations, including in artificial intelligence technologies, are also opening up new opportunities for the economic development of our countries," he added, as quoted by both outlets.
The two leaders last met in Beijing in May, as noted by The Star and The Times of India. The Kremlin said Putin and Xi also touched upon the Ukraine conflict during their meeting, though it was not the main theme of their talks, according to The Times of India.
The Star reported that Russia, with its troops bogged down in Ukraine, has deepened ties with China, its main oil customer, which has never condemned Moscow for its four-and-a-half-year invasion.
Visa-Free Regime Proposal
Putin also said Russia was ready to work with China to make their bilateral visa-free regime permanent if Beijing considered the move possible and useful, according to TASS, as reported by The Times of India. "We are ready to work together to make the visa-free regime permanent if the Chinese side considers this possible and useful," Putin said. He noted that visa-free travel had helped increase tourist flows between the two countries by 43% in the first half of the year, according to The Times of India.
Energy Cooperation and Other Meetings
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Chinese authorities are ready to advance comprehensive cooperation with Russia, with a focus on the energy sector and the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project, as reported by TASS. "Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China and Russia maintain close cooperation across various fields, including energy," Guo said at a briefing. He added that Beijing is "ready to work with Russia to continuously deepen practical bilateral cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit."
On the sidelines of the summit, Xi also held meetings with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, according to The Times of India. Mirziyoyev said he and Xi discussed strengthening multifaceted cooperation between Uzbekistan and China across key areas, the outlet reported. China's foreign ministry said Xi noted that China-Kyrgyzstan relations had developed rapidly in recent years and that a treaty on permanent good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation would provide an important foundation for lasting friendship and mutual support, as reported by The Times of India.
The SCO, founded in 2001 by China, Russia and four Central Asian states, now includes 10 members, according to The Times of India.