(Bloomberg) — Russian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing for the first time in his new term, seeking to ensure support for his government with the war in Ukraine now in its third year.
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The pair started talks on Thursday, the official Xinhua News Agency reported, after Putin’s arrival earlier in the day. He is likely to prioritize countering the US’s warnings to China over trade with his country in talks with Xi.
In an earlier written interview with the official Xinhua News Agency, Putin said Russia and China will deepen collaboration on renewable energy, artificial intelligence, high-tech industries and more areas. As part of the two-day visit, the Russian leader will also visit the northeastern city of Harbin where he’ll take part in the opening ceremony of the eighth Russian-Chinese Expo.
Read More: Putin Visits Xi as US Threatens China Sanctions Over Ties
The two leaders, who declared a “no-limits friendship” just weeks before Putin launched his full scale invasion of Ukraine, have met more than 40 times since Xi came to power in 2012.
China, which has helped Russia weather unprecedented US and European sanctions imposed over the Kremlin’s invasion of its neighbor, has faced increasing US threats of retaliation. The world’s second-largest economy has become an indispensable ally for Russia, which relies on China as a market for its energy and supplier of its wartime needs.
That’s put Putin in a sometimes awkward position, with Beijing wary of his nuclear saber-rattling and mindful of the need to keep unfettered access to the US-led global economic system.
In recent weeks, the US has stepped up warnings to Chinese banks and exporters about consequences if they help to bolster Russia’s military capacity. In December, the Treasury Department announced it would impose secondary sanctions on banks that facilitate deals in which Russia procures semiconductors, ball bearings and other equipment necessary for its military — even if they’re unaware they’re doing so.
Read More: Putin Visits Xi as US Threatens China Sanctions Over Ties
(Updates with talks starting.)
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