Ahead of a visit to Beijing, the Russian president told Chinese television that Xi Jinping was a «good friend.»
Russian President Vladimir Putin described what he thought made a good leader as he praised his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
On Tuesday, Putin arrived in Beijing where he will address the third Belt and Road forum about the Chinese initiative to develop infrastructure and energy routes between Asia, Europe and Africa. China is a key ally for Russia, having remained neutral on its invasion of Ukraine, which has been followed by an increase in economic cooperation.
This is Putin’s second known trip abroad since the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him in March. He was interviewed before the visit by the China Media Corporation journalist Wang Guan who set set the tone for the conversation, released on the Kremlin website, by complimenting the Russian leader for being in «excellent shape.»
During Xi’s visit to Russia in March, a video clip went viral of Putin telling the Chinese leader «we are the ones driving» once-in-a-century geopolitical changes. In Monday’s interview, Putin said Xi «calls me his friend, and I call him my friend.»
The Russian leader said there is the saying, «tell me who your friend is, and I will tell you who you are…therefore, if I now praise Chairman Xi Jinping, I will feel somehow uncomfortable—it’s like I’m praising myself.
