China’s Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin of Russia have signed a joint statement calling on the west to “abandon the ideologized approaches of the cold war”, as the two leaders showcased their warming relationship in Beijing at the start of the Winter Olympics.
The demand for NATO to stop expanding came after a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing, in which the Russian leader hailed the two countries’ “dignified relationship”.
The joint statement, including harsh criticism of the United States, was issued during Russian president Vladimir Putin’s visit to China for the opening of the Winter Olympics.
“The parties oppose the further expansion of NATO and call on the North Atlantic Alliance to abandon the ideological approaches of the Cold War era,” the document said, urging respect for the “sovereignty, security and interests of other countries”.
The statement declared that the new Sino-Russia relations were “superior to political and military alliances of the cold war era”. It shows the ambitions and anxieties China and Russia both share, and how they have increasingly found common interest in their respective disagreements with western powers, analysts say.
The statement echoed demands from Russia at the center of weeks of intensive negotiations between Moscow and the West, under the shadow of a potential conflict.
Russia has denied any such plans.
Prior to the statement, the Kremlin said Mr. Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held warm and substantive talks in Beijing and described the relationship as an advanced partnership with a special character.
The two leaders met for the 38th time since 2013. The two countries also pledged to step up cooperation to thwart “color revolutions” and external interference and vowed to further deepen “back-to-back” strategic coordination.
Mr. Putin also announced a major gas deal with China, a further sign of the deepening of the relationship between the two neighbors at a time of difficult relations with the West.
Moscow's ties with Beijing are "developing progressively along the path of friendship and strategic partnership, they are of a truly unprecedented nature", Putin said in televised remarks at the start of their meeting.
Russia and China are an "example of a dignified relationship", Putin added.
The demand for NATO to stop expanding came after a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing, in which the Russian leader hailed the two countries’ “dignified relationship”.
The joint statement, including harsh criticism of the United States, was issued during Russian president Vladimir Putin’s visit to China for the opening of the Winter Olympics.
“The parties oppose the further expansion of NATO and call on the North Atlantic Alliance to abandon the ideological approaches of the Cold War era,” the document said, urging respect for the “sovereignty, security and interests of other countries”.
The statement declared that the new Sino-Russia relations were “superior to political and military alliances of the cold war era”. It shows the ambitions and anxieties China and Russia both share, and how they have increasingly found common interest in their respective disagreements with western powers, analysts say.
The statement echoed demands from Russia at the center of weeks of intensive negotiations between Moscow and the West, under the shadow of a potential conflict.
Russia has denied any such plans.
Prior to the statement, the Kremlin said Mr. Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held warm and substantive talks in Beijing and described the relationship as an advanced partnership with a special character.
The two leaders met for the 38th time since 2013. The two countries also pledged to step up cooperation to thwart “color revolutions” and external interference and vowed to further deepen “back-to-back” strategic coordination.
Mr. Putin also announced a major gas deal with China, a further sign of the deepening of the relationship between the two neighbors at a time of difficult relations with the West.
Moscow's ties with Beijing are "developing progressively along the path of friendship and strategic partnership, they are of a truly unprecedented nature", Putin said in televised remarks at the start of their meeting.
Russia and China are an "example of a dignified relationship", Putin added.
