Interview: Mutual visits of Xi, Putin during Winter Olympics strengthen ties, says Chinese ambassador

MOSCOW -- "Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China during the Beijing Winter Olympics will further enhance political mutual trust between the two countries and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields," Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui has said.

"Putin's trip will also add a touch of bright color to the successful hosting of the Beijing Winter Olympics," Zhang said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

After Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in 2014, Putin will visit China and attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games later this week.

Zhang said that the visits of the two heads of state not only demonstrate their sincere and deep personal friendship as well as the spirit of solidarity and coordination between China and Russia, but also promote and defend the Olympic spirit through concrete action.

China-Russia relations are at their best time in history, and the planning and strategic guidance of the two presidents plays a pivotal role in advancing the relations, the envoy stressed.

In recent years, Xi and Putin have interacted intensively and candidly, and deeply exchanged governing experience while coordinating closely on major international issues, Zhang said.

He also noted that the two heads of state have attended each other's major events on several occasions, including attending sporting events and celebrating birthdays together, during which they established a solid relationship of trust and forged a profound personal friendship.

China-Russia ties have set a model for building strategic mutual trust among major countries, a model of promoting mutually beneficial cooperation between neighboring countries, and a model of fostering a new type of international relations, Zhang said.

China-Russia economic and trade cooperation has moved forward despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the global economic downturn, Zhang noted. According to official data, bilateral trade between the two countries hit a record high to exceed $140 billion in 2021, approaching the goal of $200 billion by 2024 set by the two heads of state.

Zhang suggested that the two sides continue to strengthen cooperation in such fields as agriculture, scientific and technological innovation, e-commerce, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Taking Putin's visit as an opportunity, the two countries are expected to further implement the consensuses reached by the two presidents, stick to the four-point agreement on firmly supporting each other, and continue to be each other's development opportunity and strategic support, Zhang said.

The two countries will promote the high-level and high-quality development of their relations, Zhang said, adding that China and Russia will make greater contributions to advancing the Global Development Initiative, forming a new type of international relations, and building a community with a shared future for humankind.