Allies Xi, Putin meet in Brazil, vow political support
July 15, 2014, 7:36 am

Xi met “ally and friend” Putin on the sidelines of the 6th BRICS Summit in Fortaleza on 14 July 2014 [Xinhua]

Xi met “ally and friend” Putin on the sidelines of the 6^th BRICS Summit on Monday.

Beijing is “true in word and resolute in deed” in ties with Moscow, Xi said while pushing for intensifying “political support to each other”. The Chinese President’s support to Putin comes in the backdrop of the severe sanctions against Russia announced by Western economies over the turmoil in Ukraine.

The five BRICS leaders are expected to rally around Putin over the issue of Ukraine at the leaders Summit on the 15^th and 16^th July in Fortaleza.

“Recently Russia has been exposed to a sanction attack by the United States and its allies. Together we should think about a system of measures that would help prevent the harassment of countries that do not agree with some foreign policy decisions made by the United States and their allies, but would promote a civilised dialogue on all points at issue based on mutual respect” Putin said yesterday in an interview to Itar-Tass news agency.

Earlier this year, Russia and China signed a mammoth $400 billion gas deal to pipe natural gas from Russia’s Far East to China for 30 years. Joint infrastructure investment on building the gas pipelines is estimated to be more than $70 billion and will be the world’s largest construction project.

To ensure the implementation of these cooperation projects, relevant Russian and Chinese officials have maintained close contact and negotiations in the past two months, said Xi on Monday.

“China and Russia should exert more efforts on the joint research, application and manufacturing in large strategic projects,” said Xi in Fortaleza.

The two sides should also take more pragmatic and joint actions in military and security fields, he said.

Xi urged the two countries to take more joint actions in international affairs while jointly promote cooperation among BRICS countries.

Meanwhile, Putin said he and Xi are “personally pushing forward the bilateral cooperation”.

The Russian President also urged an early start of negotiations on the Russia-China west line gas supply project.

Putin confirmed his attendance at the informal economic leaders’ meeting of the APEC, which will be held in China in November.

The two leaders also exchanged views on the crises in Syria and Afghanistan.

Helmo Preuss in Fortaleza, Brazil with inputs from Agencies