Russian President Vladimir Putin Visits China, Thanks Xi Jinping: We Both Attribute Great Significance To Bilateral Relations, Strategic Cooperation

On May 16, 2024, CCTV Video News Agency (China) published a video to its YouTube channel of Russian President Vladimir Putin's state visit to China. In a statement, Putin thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for hosting him, saying that they both attribute great significance to bilateral relations and strategic cooperation. He pointed out that the Soviet Union was the first country to recognize the People's Republic of China almost 75 years ago, and that the two countries have a history of pragmatic cooperation.

Vladimir Putin: "Thank you very much for your invitation. Last March, you also visited Moscow immediately after your re-election as President of the People’s Republic of China. We have a good tradition of making our first foreign visits to each other. This clearly states the importance we both place on the continuous development of bilateral relations, comprehensive partnership, and strategic cooperation between Moscow and Beijing. As you just noted, this year we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st and immediately celebrate the establishment diplomatic relations between our two countries on the following day, October 2nd. The Soviet Union was the first country to recognize the People’s Republic of China. Moscow and Beijing have accumulated a truly solid experience of pragmatic cooperation."