Russian leader Vladimir Putin was given the red carpet treatment at a global summit in Beijing, as China and Russia deepen their solidarity.
Hosted by China’s President Xi Jinping, the meeting celebrated 10 years of his signature foreign and economic policy, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Mr Putin was the guest of honour among leaders and officials from more than 130 countries.
He has rarely left his country since invading Ukraine in February last year.
Not only is he facing increasing diplomatic isolation, he has also been issued an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Mr Putin is highly unlikely to be arrested in China as Beijing is not a state party to the statutes of the ICC.
He and Mr Xi are known for their close relationship, with the Chinese leader famously declaring their countries had a “no limits friendship” just before the war began.
Wednesday’s proceedings kicked off with an opening ceremony held in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People. Mr Xi made his entrance together with Mr Putin, with the two striding into the hall shoulder-to-shoulder in front of other countries’ leaders.
Mr Putin was also front and centre along with the Chinese president for the group photo, and was second to speak after Mr Xi. They later held a three-hour bilateral meeting, at which they discussed Ukraine and the Middle East.
Later, Mr Putin referred to the growing number of conflicts in the world. “All these outside factors are common threats and they strengthen Russian-Chinese co-operation,” he told a news conference.
While Mr Putin had pride of place in previous Belt and Road summits, those events took place before Russia began its war on Ukraine.
China since then has come under criticism from the West for standing by Russia, even as it has also tried to show support for Ukraine.
Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, China’s President Xi Jinping, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with other leaders wave during a group photo at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 18, 2023.
On Wednesday Mr Putin was keen to return the favour. In his speech, he pledged support for Mr Xi’s vast BRI project saying it was “in tune with Russian ideas” and praised “our Chinese friends” for their achievements.
The BRI has seen China pouring an estimated trillion dollars into investment and infrastructure projects around the world.
