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Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin via video meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, January 21, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese President Xi Jinping talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a video meeting on Tuesday, as the two leaders hailed bilateral ties in their first interaction in 2025. Xi called on the two sides to consolidate and expand bilateral relations and push for in-depth development of practical cooperation.

Chinese experts believe that the virtual meeting underscores a high degree of strategic mutual trust and close strategic coordination between the two countries. Unlike some Western countries which define their strategic relations in terms of external rivals and alliances, cooperation between China and Russia is not directed against any third party, and the deepening of China-Russia ties has a solid endogenous momentum.

Toward greater heights 

The video meeting between the two leaders comes a few days ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, Xi and Putin exchanged greetings for the Spring Festival.

Xi stressed that in the new year, he is willing to work with Putin to continue guiding China-Russia relations toward greater heights, to cope with the uncertainties of the external environment with the stability and resilience of China-Russia relations, to jointly promote the development and revitalization of the two countries, and to uphold international fairness and justice.

Xi called on the two sides to continue deepening strategic coordination, firming up mutual support and safeguarding the legitimate interests of the two countries, saying that China and Russia should consolidate and expand bilateral relations and push for in-depth development of practical cooperation.

The video meeting between Xi and Putin came three weeks after the two leaders exchanged New Year greetings on December 31, 2024.

There were frequent exchanges between the leaders of China and Russia in 2024, which marked the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The two leaders exchanged congratulatory messages on October 2 to warmly celebrate the 75th anniversary of ties.

On May 16, 2024, Xi held talks with Putin in Beijing during the latter's state visit to China. The two leaders met again on July 3 in Astana, Kazakhstan, ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. On October 22, 2024, Xi held a meeting with President Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the frequent interactions between the Russian and Chinese leaders underline the high level of strategic mutual trust between the two countries, and they highlight that the strategic coordination between the two countries when dealing with regional and global issues is close and fruitful.

Echoing Li, Cui Heng, a scholar from the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, said that the frequent interactions between the leaders of China and Russia in recent years have been a regular feature, which plays a pivotal role in guiding bilateral ties.

The interactions between the Chinese and Russian leaders amid the US power transition show that both Beijing and Moscow hope to ensure that their ties remain stable and positive, Cui said.

According to Russian news agency Tass, Putin said that ties between Russia and China are self-sufficient and do not depend on the global political environment or domestic politics. "Their comprehensive strengthening fully meets the objective of Russia's and China's comprehensive development and improving the well-being of people in both countries," he said. 

According to Xinhua, Putin said that Russia firmly supports Taiwan as an inalienable part of China's territory and firmly opposes any form of "Taiwan independence."

Li stressed that cooperation between China and Russia is not directed against third parties, and the strategic basis of relations is not defined in terms of "external rivals" and developing alliances, as is the case with some in the West. On the contrary, China-Russia relations are truly consolidated and deepened on the basis of universal and common interests.

The development of China-Russia relations has a strong endogenous impetus and is based on a solid common strategic foundation. Such a relationship stems from the consensus over the international system and rules, as well as from the reality of strong mutual support for each other's core interests, Li said.

According to data from China's General Administration of Customs, in 2024, the trade volume between China and Russia reached a record high of $244.8 billion, a 1.9 percent increase year-on-year.

Jointly defend UN-centered system

The two heads of state also exchanged in-depth views on international and regional issues of common interest and agreed to maintain strategic communication in the new year, according to Xinhua.

During their dialogue, Xi noted that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victories of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN.

China and Russia should jointly defend the UN-centered international system and the outcomes of victory in World War II, Xi noted. 

Putin mentioned the shared determination of Russia and China to avert a revival of Nazism, fascism and militarism, Tass reported. 

China and Russia should use this as an opportunity to jointly defend the UN-centered international system and victory in WWII, promote all countries' adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, uphold the universally recognized basic norms governing international relations, and practice true multilateralism, Xi stressed.

Against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the security situation in Eurasia has witnessed serious security challenges and trust among major powers is declining, Cui said. "As the global governance has fallen into regression amid the declining role of multilateral mechanisms, the dealing of global affairs is increasingly dependent on collaboration among the major powers," Cui said.

As two major countries of vital importance on the Eurasian continent, the strengthening of cooperation and coordination between China and Russia is positive for the maintenance of security and stability in Eurasia, Cui said. 

In terms of global governance, Xi stressed that as the rotating chair of the SCO, China is willing to work with Russia and other member states to usher in a new phase of the SCO featuring higher-quality development and greater responsibility.

The Chinese leader called on the two countries to jointly advance greater BRICS cooperation and write a new chapter of unity and self-improvement for the Global South.

"There is no doubt that China and Russia are positive, stable and constructive forces in the transformation of the international system and order," Li said, noting that significant influence exerted by China and Russia would help to make the world more balanced.

Coordination and cooperation between China and Russia, with joint efforts from other Global South countries, would have a broader and more positive impact, Li said.