Russia – China: Standing Together to Protect Historical Truth and Counter Neo-Nazism
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping summit in the Kremlin: Russia and China are “good neighbors” and “true friends”; together we will build a just multipolar world and resist hegemony and power politics
The high-level talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping will focus on bilateral relations, strategic cooperation between the two neighboring states, and key international and regional issues of mutual interest. In addition, the Russia-China summit “will give a strong impetus to the development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries in the new era.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as other international leaders, arrived in the Russian capital on Wednesday, May 7, to participate in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi troops in World War II. At the same time, the arrival of international guests was jeopardized by the largest-scale attack by Ukrainian military drones – more than 500 UAVs – on Moscow airports.
The talks with Xi Jinping marked the beginning of a series of bilateral meetings between Vladimir Putin and heads of state around the world. “Russia and China are making joint efforts to protect the historical truth about the Great Patriotic War and hinder modern forms of neo-Nazism and militarism,” Putin said at the opening of his meeting with Xi Jinping in the Kremlin.
“Together with Chinese friends,” emphasized the President of the Russian Federation, “we stand firmly on guard of historical truth, protect the memory of the events of the war years, and counteract modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism.” The Russian president thanked Xi Jinping for attending the celebrations, as he had already done in 2015 on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Victory: “I am grateful for your decision to come and share with us this celebration, which is sacred to our country,” said Putin, according to whom “on May 9, on the occasion of the holiday, a parade of soldiers from China’s People’s Liberation Army will march on Red Square.”
For his part, Xi Jinping emphasized that China is ready to cooperate with Russia in defending the historical truth about World War II and resisting “unilateral actions and authoritarian dictatorship” in the world: “Today, in the face of negative trends, unilateral actions, and authoritarian dictate in the world, China is ready to bear special joint responsibility together with Russia as major world powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council, with a sense of special duty to bravely defend the truth about the history of World War II,” the Chinese leader said, thanking Putin for the invitation to the celebrations.
“Dear Mr. President, my dear friend, dear Russian ministers, I am very pleased at the invitation of my friend President Putin to visit Russia again and take part in the celebrations in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War,” Xi Jinping said.
China and Russia are “inseparable good neighbors, true friends, enduring hardships and fortunes together, and reliable partners, contributing to each other’s successes,” the Chinese President added. “Independent, mature, and sound China-Russia relations not only bring great benefits to the peoples of the two countries, but also make important contributions to maintaining global strategic stability and building an equal and orderly multipolar world,” Xi Jinping emphasized.
In this context and in view of the changes in the global situation, China and Russia will jointly make efforts to firmly protect the international system based on the central role of the United Nations and will “resolutely oppose hegemony and power politics.” As two great powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Russia, Xi Jinping said, have a responsibility to protect international order and help build a “fairer and more reasonable” system of global governance.
