Putin plans to hold talks with Xi Jinping in Beijing in October — top security official

MOSCOW, September 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping may hold talks in Beijing this October, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev said.

"We expect that substantive bilateral talks between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Xi Jinping of China will take place in Beijing in October as part of the Russian head of state’s participation in the One Belt, One Road International Forum’s events," he said at Russian-Chinese strategic security consultations.

Patrushev pointed out that relations between Moscow and Beijing, based on the principles of respect, non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs and mutual support on the international stage, "are inherently strong and don’t depend on the changing situation."

"This approach has been repeatedly confirmed at the highest level, particularly in the joint statement that our countries adopted during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia on March 20-22, 2023," the Russian Security Council secretary noted.

The Belt and Road Initiative, a concept proposed by Xi Jinping in 2013, aims to symbolically recreate the ancient Silk Road. The goal is for China to access markets in Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and other regions, as well as to intensify international trade and investment projects involving a large number of nations along with the use of Chinese and foreign capital. Over 150 countries and international organizations have already joined the initiative.