They warned of growing nuclear tensions between rival powers.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin pledged to intensify cooperation against U.S. “containment” of their countries, as they warned of growing nuclear tensions between rival powers.
Putin and Xi accused the U.S. of planning to station missile systems around the world that “pose a direct threat to the security of Russia and China,” in a joint declaration after more than two hours of talks in Beijing on Thursday. They agreed to tighten coordination, including between their militaries, against what they called Washington’s “destructive and hostile course.”
The two leaders also warned of “increased strategic risks” from spiraling tensions between nuclear powers. They accused the U.S. of seeking to violate the strategic nuclear balance to gain a “decisive military advantage.”
Putin’s in China on the first foreign visit since his inauguration last week for a fifth presidential term, indicating the importance of the relationship with Xi in enabling Moscow to resist unprecedented sanctions from the U.S. and its allies over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The leaders said “preventing direct military confrontation between the nuclear powers is the priority task,” but lambasted nuclear states that “encroach on each other’s vital interests” by expanding military alliances near their borders, a dig at NATO expansion in Europe and U.S.-led efforts to forge security partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region to counter China.
Xi said China was “ready to work with Russia as a good neighbor, friend and partner with mutual trust,” state broadcaster China Central Television reported after the pair had met.
