Putin praised for making it to Xi global summit

Russian leader Vladimir Putin received a warm welcome at a worldwide meeting in Beijing, highlighting the growing friendship between China and Russia.

China’s President Xi Jinping organized a meeting to mark the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), his significant foreign and economic plan.

Mr Putin was considered the most important guest among leaders and officials from over 130 countries.

He has hardly ever left his country since he invaded Ukraine in February of last year.

He is not only losing support from other countries, but he has also been ordered to be arrested by the International Criminal Court for supposed war crimes in Ukraine.

It is very unlikely that Mr. Putin will be arrested in China because China is not part of the ICC. He and Mr Xi are very close friends. The Chinese leader said they have a very strong friendship before the war started.

On Wednesday, the events started with a special ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xi and Mr. Putin walked into the hall side by side ahead of other leaders from different countries.

Mr Putin was also in the front and center position of the group photo, standing beside the Chinese president. After Mr Xi, he was the second person to speak. They later had a meeting that lasted for three hours.

Before Russia started its war on Ukraine, Mr. Putin used to have the most important position in previous Belt and Road summits.

China has been criticized by Western countries for supporting Russia and at the same time trying to show support for Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Mr. Putin was eager to repay the kindness. In his speech, he promised to help Mr. Xi’s big BRI project because it aligns with Russian ideas. He also praised our Chinese friends for their accomplishments.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a project where China has spent about one trillion dollars on investment and building projects globally.

He spoke to a group of representatives from developing countries, mainly from the Global South. He mentioned that Russia, China, and most countries around the world want to work together and make progress in their economy.

Mr Putin is visiting at a time when people are worried that China and Russia are joining forces to compete with the Western countries.

Both countries have spoken out against the domination of the US and want a world where power is shared among multiple countries.

China released two white papers before the BRI’s anniversary. These papers present the BRI as the foundation of a new world order which China sees as fairer and more welcoming to everyone.

In his speech filled with references to the Silk Road and interesting sayings, Mr. Xi kept emphasizing this point. He said the BRI shows progress and is the right way to go, and it will be looked upon favorably in the future.

He strongly criticized “fighting over beliefs, competing for power among nations, and forming alliances for political gain,” imposing sanctions without consensus, and separating supply chains. Beijing often complains about Washington for leading what it believes is an unfair type of global development.

On the other hand, the BRI has promoted cooperation that benefits everyone involved, where everyone contributes and makes things better.

Mr Xi also explained an eight-point plan for advancing the BRI. This includes supporting smaller projects, environmentally friendly development, and fostering honesty and trust.

The BRI has received praise for helping many countries grow, but people have also criticized it for causing debt problems, harming the environment, and encouraging corruption and wasteful projects.

The meeting in Beijing has drawn the attention of many countries, mainly from Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America. Other people at the event are Hungary’s leader, Viktor Orban, and officials from the Taliban government in Afghanistan.