China and Russia should jointly safeguard their security and development interests, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the visiting Russian parliament speaker in their efforts to build a more “equitable” international order.
The two sides should continue their traditional friendship and deepen strategic mutual trust, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Xi as saying.
Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of Russia’s lower house of parliament, arrived in China ahead of Putin’s visit to China this weekend, where he will cross paths with tens of Global South world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Russia and China should “unite” the countries in the Global South, Xi told Volodin.
Putin will also be the principal guest of honour at a military parade in Beijing marking the the end of World War Two.
Ahead of what is set to be a massive public showcase of China’s modernising armed forces, Beijing has mounted a campaign saying China and the former Soviet Union played a pivotal role in the Asian and European theatres during World War Two. — Reuters
