Putin denounces Western sanctions, hails China ties ahead of visit
Shafaq News – Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized Western sanctions and the global financial system as discriminatory, while praising deepening ties with China ahead of a state visit.
In a written interview with China’s state news agency Xinhua, released on the eve of his four-day trip, Putin said his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping would address “all aspects of the bilateral agenda” as well as regional and international issues.
He described Xi as “genuinely committed” to advancing the partnership between Moscow and Beijing, which the two sides characterize as a “no-limits” strategic relationship. Referring to Xi’s visit to Moscow in May, Putin added, “We reaffirmed the strategic choice of our peoples in favor of strengthening the traditions of good-neighborliness, friendship, and long-term, mutually beneficial cooperation.”
On trade and economic cooperation, Putin noted that bilateral trade has grown by about $100 billion since 2021, with transactions now conducted almost entirely in rubles and yuan. He stressed that Russia remains a leading supplier of oil and gas to China, while agricultural exports, including pork and beef, have expanded. Russia has also become a major market for Chinese cars, alongside joint projects in industry, construction, and infrastructure.
Regarding global finance, Putin said Moscow and Beijing share a commitment to reshaping the international financial order, voicing support for reforming institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and calling for a system based on “openness and true equity” that would end the use of finance as an instrument of “neo-colonialism.”
“A new financial system must provide equal and non-discriminatory access to its tools for all countries and reflect the real standing of member states in the global economy,” he told Xinhua.
The Kremlin has described Putin’s visit, which runs from Sunday to Wednesday, as “unprecedented” in scope. The Russian and Chinese leaders have met more than 40 times in the past decade.
During the trip, Putin will first attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the northern port city of Tianjin before traveling to Beijing for a military parade marking the end of World War II.
