Xi and Putin Exchange New Year’s Greetings, Celebrate 75 Years of Friendship
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged warm New Year’s greetings on Tuesday, highlighting a milestone 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
President Xi extended sincere congratulations and best wishes to President Putin and the Russian people on behalf of the Chinese government and its citizens. He noted that 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic ties, a significant milestone in their enduring partnership.
“Over the past 75 years, China-Russia relations have matured and stabilized,” Xi said. “In the face of a rapidly changing international landscape, our nations have moved forward hand in hand, adhering to principles of non-alliance, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party.”
The two leaders have met three times this year—in Beijing, Astana, and Kazan—and have maintained communication through calls and letters. These interactions have fostered candid discussions and broad consensus on bilateral relations and key international and regional issues.
President Xi emphasized the tangible outcomes of their practical cooperation, such as the completion of the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline and the launch of the China-Russia Years of Culture, which have strengthened bonds between the peoples of both countries.
China and Russia have also supported each other in international platforms like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), contributing significantly to solidarity and cooperation among nations in the Global South.
Looking ahead to 2025, Xi expressed confidence that China-Russia cooperation will continue to create new opportunities for growth. He voiced readiness to maintain close exchanges with Putin to further consolidate and deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership.
President Putin extended heartfelt New Year and Spring Festival greetings to Xi, wishing the Chinese people happiness and good health. He recalled their successful meetings in 2024 and noted that their cooperation in areas like economy, trade, energy, transportation, science, and technology is progressing smoothly.
Putin expressed his willingness to maintain close communication with Xi to promote the development of bilateral relations and strengthen coordination on multilateral platforms like the United Nations, BRICS, the SCO, and the G20.
On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin also exchanged New Year greetings, reaffirming the commitment to advance China-Russia relations and cooperation to new heights.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
