Tag: Xi

Putin in trade push on final day of China trip

BEIJING, May 17, 2024 (AFP) – Russian leader Vladimir Putin was in the northeastern city of Harbin on Friday, the final day of a visit aiming to promote crucial trade with China and win greater support for his war effort in Ukraine. Putin arrived Thursday on his first trip abroad since his March re-election, meeting President Xi Jinping for talks in which the leaders framed their nations’ ties as a stabilising force in a chaotic […]

China and Russia present united front as stabilizing force

By James EDGAR, Oliver HOTHAM BEIJING, May 16, 2024 (AFP) – Leaders Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin framed their nations’ ties as a stabilising force in a chaotic world as they met Thursday in Beijing, where the Russian president is seeking greater Chinese support for his war effort in Ukraine and isolated economy. It is Putin’s first trip abroad since his March re-election and the second in just over six months to China, an economic […]

Putin to meet Xi in Beijing seeking greater support for war effort

By James EDGAR, Oliver HOTHAM BEIJING, May 15, 2024 (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China this week, both countries announced Tuesday, meeting his “dear friend” Xi Jinping as he seeks to win greater support from Beijing for his war effort in Ukraine and isolated economy. It will be Putin’s first trip abroad since his March re-election and his second in just over six months to China, a crucial economic lifeline for Russia […]

Xi tells Blinken US, China should be ‘partners, not rivals’

By Shaun TANDON and James EDGAR BEIJING, April 26, 2024 (AFP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday told top US diplomat Antony Blinken that the world’s biggest economies should be “partners, not rivals” as the two sides pressed for headway on a range of concerns. Blinken, in China for the second time in less than a year, pointed to improvements in the relationship but urged greater action from Beijing on areas including curbing support […]

US says China helping Moscow in biggest defense expansion since Soviet era

By Aurélia END WASHINGTON, April 12, 2024 (AFP) – China is helping Russia undertake its biggest military expansion since Soviet times, US officials said Friday, stepping up public pressure as concerns rise over Ukraine. US officials are hoping the release of the intelligence will encourage European allies to press China, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz heads to Beijing this weekend and Group of Seven foreign ministers meet next week in Italy. Unveiling US findings, officials said […]

China’s Xi tells ex-Taiwan leader ‘external interference’ cannot block unification

By Matthew WALSH BEIJING, April 10, 2024 (AFP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that “external interference” would not stop Beijing from unifying with Taiwan, as he met the self-ruled island’s former leader in a rare display of cross-strait dialogue. Taiwan’s former president Ma Ying-jeou is in China as part of what he has called a “journey of peace” to calm tensions with Beijing, which claims the island as its own territory and has […]

Xi says willing to work with US for stable relationship

BEIJING, Jan 1, 2024 (AFP) – China’s President Xi Jinping said Monday he was willing to work with the United States to promote stable bilateral ties, exchanging congratulations with his US counterpart on the anniversary of diplomatic relations, state media said. Xi and US President Joe Biden met in San Francisco in November, vowing to improve communication in an effort to stop competition from spilling over into conflict. And in an exchange of messages to […]

China’s Xi hails ‘resilient’ economy in bullish New Year speech

By Matthew WALSH, Oliver HOTHAM BEIJING, Dec 31, 2023 (AFP)– President Xi Jinping said Sunday the Chinese economy had grown “more resilient and dynamic” in 2023, despite financial figures continuing to disappoint as the post-Covid recovery stalls. He also promised in a bullish New Year’s address to the nation that China would “surely be reunified” — a reference to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own and has pledged to seize. […]

Biden-Xi talks to boost stability in Taiwan Strait: envoy

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 18, 2023 (AFP) – Talks between US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week — and agreement to restore military communications — will likely improve stability in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei’s chief delegate to an economic summit said Friday. “I really think it was a good meeting, it was good news that they resumed military communications,” said Morris Chang, who is in San Francisco as Taiwan’s envoy for the […]

Biden, Xi compete for Asia-Pacific allies at summit

By Danny KEMP SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 17, 2023 (AFP) – US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping made rival bids to win over Asia-Pacific allies at a summit in San Francisco Thursday, just a day after the two leaders met in a bid to reduce tensions between the superpowers. “We’re not going anywhere,” Biden told business leaders attending the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit in San Francisco as he tried to reassure […]

President Biden reassures APEC summit, says stable China ties benefit world

By Danny KEMP SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 16, 2023 (AFP) – US President Joe Biden reassured Asia-Pacific economies of American commitment at a summit in San Francisco Thursday, and said his talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping would provide stability for the region and the whole world. “We’re not going anywhere,” Biden told the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) group, which includes 21 members but lives under the shadow of US-China relations. The summit opened with a […]

China calls Biden’s Xi dictator comments ‘extremely wrong’

BEIJING, Nov 16, 2023 (AFP) – China condemned on Thursday US President Joe Biden’s description of Xi Jinping as a dictator as “extremely wrong”, after the two leaders wrapped up a summit in California. Asked about Biden’s remarks, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said: “This kind of speech is extremely wrong and is irresponsible political manipulation. China firmly opposes it.” “I need to point out that there are always some people with ulterior motives attempting […]