Xi unveils new belt and road action plan - as it happened

In a solo press conference following a three-hour talk with Xi after the opening of the forum on Wednesday, Putin said he and the Chinese leader discussed both the Ukraine and Gaza conflicts in detail, but many of the discussions were “confidential”.

He also urged a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

“The attack on a hospital in Gaza is a tragedy and a humanitarian catastrophe. I hope that it will be a signal that the conflict must end,” Putin told journalists in Beijing, adding that “major actors” did not want the conflict to deepen.

China and Russia have taken similar positions on the Israel-Hamas conflict, supporting Palestine as a legitimate state while calling for a humanitarian ceasefire without condemning Hamas, which has triggered harsh criticism from the US.

In the press conference, Putin slammed Washington’s decision to send long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine, calling it a “mistake” and saying that Russia had the ability to “repel” the Army Tactical Missile Systems weapons. He also claimed Ukraine was considering entering into negotiations with Russia.

Putin spoke highly of Russia’s relations with China, saying “external factors” that pose “common threats” would “only strengthen Russian-Chinese cooperation”.

In an earlier bilateral meeting, Xi told Putin China would work with Russia to “demonstrate responsibilities as major countries”, according to a statement by state broadcaster CCTV.

“[We will] make our contribution to boost the development and revitalisation of the two countries, to safeguard international fairness and justice and push forward common development of the world,” Xi said.

Putin, according to the Kremlin statement, said Russia would seek close foreign policy coordination with China under the “current difficult conditions”.

Both sides will bring wish list to expected Xi-Putin meeting next week

Beijing and Moscow have hardened their positions against Israel’s actions in recent days, with Putin calling them “cruel” and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying they had “gone beyond the scope of self-defence”.

They have amplified calls for a ceasefire, with China sending its special envoy to the region for mediation and Putin calling Middle Eastern leaders in an effort to de-escalate tensions.

“The political mutual trust between the two countries has been continuously deepened, strategic coordination has been close, and effective and bilateral trade volume has reached a record high,” Xi said in the meeting.

Xi said China was willing to work with Russia to enhance ties “based on the fundamental interests of the two peoples”. The Chinese leader said he and his Russian counterpart had met 42 times since 2013 and noted that next year would mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-Russia ties.

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Protesters on both sides of Israel-Hamas conflict flood streets around the world

Protesters on both sides of Israel-Hamas conflict flood streets around the world

According to the Kremlin, Putin pointed out the two sides had achieved their annual bilateral trade goal of US$200 billion earlier than expected.

“This [trade] bar will also definitely be surpassed. So we are moving very confidently bilaterally,” he said, according to the statement.

China and Russia have maintained robust trade ties despite Western sanctions on Moscow. Beijing is now the second-largest buyer of Russian oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Xi said China would work with Russia and other countries in the region to better connect the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union, a Moscow-led trade bloc of former Soviet states. He said he hoped the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline project, which Russia aims to run to China via Mongolia, would make “substantial progress as soon as possible”.