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Vladimir Putin at the inauguration ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia on 7 May 2018 [PPIO]
At the Kremlin Palace Putin was sworn in for a new 6-year term on Monday.
“The Chinese side believes that under the leadership of President Putin, Russia will keep making achievements in its nation building and social and economic development,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang told a routine press briefing.
Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to Putin after more than 70 per cent of voters backed him in a March 18 presidential election.
China’s Foreign Minister said a “personal push by President Xi and President Putin” has boosted ties between the two nations.
Beijing and Moscow “have exchanged views on major international and regional issues in a timely manner, kept close coordination within the framework of multilateral mechanisms, and made significant contributions to world peace and stability” Geng was quoted by Chinese agency Xinhua.
In May 2014, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping singed a landmark $400 billion gas deal under which Gazprom will supply the China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) 38 billion cubic meters (BCM) of natural gas every year for 30 years.
The deal has brought both countries, BRICS members, closer and has been a massive boost to Sino-Russian ties even as Russia struggles with EU and US sanctions over Ukraine.
On Monday, Putin announced he was retaining Dmitri Medvedev as Prime Minster and Anton Siluanov as Finance Minister.
In a speech after the swearing-in ceremony, Putin said that Russia favours “equitable and mutual cooperation with all states in interest of peace”.
“Russia faced a number of dark periods and challenges, and rose like a phoenix from the ashes every time, achieving heights that seemed unattainable to others,” Putin said.
TBP and Agencies
