Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the groundbreaking ceremony on May 19 for a bilateral nuclear energy cooperation project, Tianwan nuclear power plant and Tianwan nuclear power plant. Xudapu, by video link. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese President Xi Jinping will have a video meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, the timing of which, Chinese experts say, is of particular importance just days before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) celebrates its centenary, and the second Interaction between the two top leaders within six weeks would further strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership amid growing US concerns about Sino-Russian relations.

Xi is expected to speak with Putin via video link on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said on Friday. This is Xi’s second video meeting with Putin after the two leaders attended the groundbreaking ceremony for a bilateral nuclear energy cooperation project, the Tianwan nuclear power plant and the nuclear power plant. nuclear power plant in Xudapu, May 19.

The Kremlin has said on its website that the event is scheduled to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Russian-Chinese treaty of good neighborliness and friendly cooperation. The two leaders will exchange congratulations and assess the current state and prospects of a strategic partnership between Russia and China, according to a public statement posted on the Kremlin website. It is also expected that the two will discuss current issues on the bilateral and international agenda.

The signing of the Russian-Chinese treaty of good neighborliness and friendly cooperation is symbolic in the development of Sino-Russian relations, and the Russian president is also expected to express his congratulations on the centenary of the founding of the CPC, which is a moment very important, Yang Jin, an expert at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Moreover, Putin and Biden just met. While the United States had tried to pressure Russia to put the brakes on China, the online meeting between top Chinese and Russian leaders would be of great importance, delivering a message clear to the world about their steadfast strategic partnership, which will not be affected by external factors, ”Yang said.

The meeting between Biden and Putin on June 16 ended without significant breakthroughs, although it showed that US-Russian tensions have eased somewhat, some Chinese observers say. Ahead of the Putin-Biden meeting, Putin made positive remarks about Sino-Russian relations, saying in an interview with NBC that “we have developed a strategic partnership relationship – between Russia and China which has not been realized. previously in the history of our nations, a high level of trust and cooperation in all fields “, including in the fields of politics, economy, technology and the military.

“The United States provoked Russia’s relations with China with obvious intention. But Putin’s attitude has always been very clear and resolute, that is, the United States is not in able to undermine the close strategic partnership between China and Russia, “Wang Xianju, deputy director and researcher at the Russian Research Center of China-Russia Renmin University of St. Petersburg State University, said Sunday the Global Times.

Given the current complicated international situation after the EU recently extended economic sanctions against Russia and after the UK and Russia allegedly escalated a war of words over the Black Sea warship incident , the exchange of views between senior Chinese and Russian leaders on global issues, including strengthening strategic coordination would contribute to global stability and peace, Wang said.

China and Russia have maintained frequent interactions over the past year, especially in the face of US-led lockdown by Western countries and the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the friendship between the two. country looks precious and exceptional, Chinese officials and experts said.

“It is fair to say that the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic coordination partnership for the new era is multidimensional and in all weather conditions. The sky is the limit for Sino-Russian down-to-earth cooperation, and we are full of confidence in the development of bilateral relations, “Zhao Lijian, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, said at a routine press conference on June 15.

Since March 2020, the main leaders of the two countries have met on the phone five times with concrete agendas, and on December 28, 2020, the two leaders indicated that on the occasion of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Treaty of Good neighborhood and friendly cooperation between China and Russia, the two countries envisioned a higher and broader level of cooperation in 2021.

“The timing of Monday’s online meeting is of particular importance,” Wang said. Historically, the two Communist Parties have always had close ties. Especially in the early years, the support and help provided by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union to the CCP was important, he noted.

As China and Russia advanced cooperation in the energy sector by holding the groundbreaking ceremony for four new nuclear reactors on May 19 and demonstrating the confidence of Sino-Russian cooperation in the field of energy. lunar and deep space exploration By jointly issuing a roadmap for a lunar station program in mid-June, Chinese experts predict that the two countries will deepen their collaboration in the nuclear and high-tech sector.

Chinese experts had earlier predicted that Putin could visit China after his summit with Biden in June and before the 20th anniversary of the signing of the 2001 China-Russia Friendship Treaty on July 16 and the 100th anniversary of the CCP founding on July 1 could also be an opportunity and a friendly environment for a possible visit.