Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a written interview to China’s Xinhua news agency which was published in full on the Kremlin site on May 15, the eve of his May 16-17 state visit to China. (It was also published in full by Xinhua He touched on the major topics that will be on the agenda for his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, starting from the fact that there is an “unprecedented level of strategic partnership between our countries.… Today, Russia-China relations have reached the highest level ever, and despite the difficult global situation continue to get stronger.”
On economic policy, Putin said: “We are systematically and consistently developing strategic cooperation in the energy sector, working on new large‑scale energy projects… Transport and logistics corridors between our countries are smoothly functioning and expanding. Given global turbulence and economic issues in the West, such results prove yet again the strategic wisdom of our sovereign course and pursuit of national interests. As for our plans, we will try to establish closer cooperation in industry and high-tech, outer space and peaceful atom, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and other innovative sectors.”
On global issues, Putin commented: “Earth is the cradle of humanity, our common home, and we are all equal as its inhabitants. I am convinced that this view is shared by most people on the planet. However, the countries that affiliate themselves with the so‑called `golden billion’ do not seem to think so. US‑led Western elites refuse to respect civilizational and cultural diversity and reject centuries-old traditional values. Seeking to retain their global dominance, they have usurped the right to tell other nations whom they may, or must not, make friends and cooperate with, and to deny them the right to choose their own development models.”
