Xi Lauds China-Russia Ties as Putin Arrives in Beijing

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, China May 16, 2024. Sputnik/Sergei Bobylev/Pool via REUTERS
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, China May 16, 2024. Sputnik/Sergei Bobylev/Pool via REUTERS
TT
20

Xi Lauds China-Russia Ties as Putin Arrives in Beijing

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, China May 16, 2024. Sputnik/Sergei Bobylev/Pool via REUTERS
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, China May 16, 2024. Sputnik/Sergei Bobylev/Pool via REUTERS

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to work with counterpart Vladimir Putin to "rejuvenate" their countries as the pair started a day of talks in Beijing, saying China would "always be a good partner" of Russia, according to Chinese state media.

Putin arrived on Thursday for a two-day state visit that will include detailed talks on Ukraine, Asia, energy and trade with Xi, his most powerful political backer and fellow geopolitical rival of the United States.

"The China-Russia relationship today is hard-earned, and the two sides need to cherish and nurture it," Xi told Putin as they met in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

"China is willing to ... jointly achieve the development and rejuvenation of our respective countries, and work together to uphold fairness and justice in the world."

China and Russia declared a "no limits" partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing just days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine, triggering the deadliest land war in Europe since World War Two.

By picking China for his first foreign trip since being sworn in this month for a six-year term that will keep him in power until at least 2030, Putin is sending a message to the world about his priorities and the strength of his personal ties with Xi, Reuters reported.

Putin told Xi their co-operation was a stabilizing factor.

"It is of crucial significance that relations between Russia and China are not opportunistic and are not directed against anyone," Russia's RIA Novosti news agency cited Putin as saying.

Later describing their initial session as "warm and comradely", Putin outlined sectors where the two are strengthening ties, from nuclear and energy co-operation to food supplies and Chinese car manufacturing in Russia.

The leaders formally signed a statement deepening their strategic relationship, with Xi saying both sides agreed that a political settlement to the Ukraine crisis was the "right direction.”

Putin said he was grateful to China for trying to solve the crisis, adding that he would brief Xi on the situation in Ukraine, where Russian forces are advancing on several fronts.

In an interview with China's Xinhua news agency before his departure, Putin praised Xi for helping to build a that partnership based on national interests and deep mutual trust.



Macron Meets with Families of 3 French Nationals Detained in Iran

A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)
A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)
TT
20

Macron Meets with Families of 3 French Nationals Detained in Iran

A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)
A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron met on Monday with the families of three French nationals detained in Iran, assuring that the authorities will pursue their cases, according to Noémie Kohler, the sister of Cécile, one of the detainees.

Macron met with the relatives of Cécile, her partner Jacques Paris, and Olivier Grondeau, a third Frenchman detained by Tehran, for about one and a half hour, Noémie told AFP.

“Macron provided us with a number of answers regarding the measures France is undertaking to secure the release of the detainees,” she said.

“The meeting shows us that the situation of our loved ones is being taken very seriously at the highest levels,” Noémie explained.

She added that the families of the three detainees understood that the Iranian authorities had not responded to the French proposals that were offered to them.

However, Cécile’s sister lamented the lack of “short-term prospects for release, which is very, very hard to endure.”

Cécile, a teacher of modern literature, was arrested on May 7, 2022, while traveling in Iran with her partner Jacques Paris, and charged with “espionage.”

Another French national, Olivier Grondeau, has also been detained in Iran since 2022.

On Jan. 31, Cécile’s family appealed to Macron on the 1,000th day of her detention in Iran.

On the same day, Macron denounced the “arbitrary and improper detention” of the French nationals. He said they were “hostages” and demanded their release.

In response, Iran rejected as “unconstructive” Macron's statements. It confirmed that “the decisions taken by our (judicial) system were in accordance with the law.”

Also last month, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged French nationals not to go to Iran until the hostages have been freed.

“The situation of our compatriots held hostage in Iran is quite simply unacceptable. They have been unjustly detained for several years, in unworthy conditions,” he said during the annual conference of French ambassadors in Paris.

In May 2023, Iran released French nationals Bernard Phelan and Benjamin Briere in a prisoner swap.