“One Belt, One Road and Russia-led EAEU are complementary”
“China-Russia cooperation is constructive…security cooperation is also strengthened.”
“The U.S. is afraid of China’s power… human rights issues are an excuse.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on the 5th (local time) that he would cooperate with China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ (land and maritime Silk Road) initiative. It was also evaluated that this initiative is complementary to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). He also said that China-Russia cooperation contributes to global stability and that cooperation will be strengthened in areas such as security.
According to RIA Novosti and TASS News Agency, President Putin made it clear that he would strengthen cooperation with China in a 3-hour and 41-minute speech at the 20th Valdai International Debate Club (Valdai Forum) plenary session held in Sochi, Russia.
In his speech, President Putin said he would cooperate with China’s Belt and Road Initiative. One Belt, One Road is a plan for China to create a huge economic bloc by connecting land and sea routes beyond Central Asia to Europe and Africa.
“We will implement China’s infrastructure development plan to build a great Eurasia, advance the EAEU and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative,” he said. “I have already talked about this and I think it is very promising.” .
President Putin evaluated the ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative as “complementary” with the EAEU. EAEU is an economic union of former Soviet Union countries in Eurasia, led by Russia.
President Putin said, “There is a view that the interests of these two projects may be different. “There could be some kind of competition, but that’s not the case,” he said, emphasizing, “As I’ve said several times already, I believe that one project complements the other harmoniously.”
This remark came ahead of President Putin’s visit to China. President Putin will visit Beijing, China this month to attend the ‘3rd Belt and Road International Cooperation Summit Forum’ hosted directly by President Xi. This is his first overseas visit since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant on war crimes charges in March.
President Putin also said that China-Russia cooperation contributes to global stability and that he will expand security cooperation with China.
He said, “China-Russia cooperation is a very important factor in stabilizing the international community,” and “We will expand cooperation in terms of security as well.” He then said that the two countries would not create a specific bloc, but “what is happening around them is forcing it.”
He emphasized that “China-Russia cooperation has a constructive nature” and “does no harm to anyone.”
In addition, many plans to strengthen cooperation in areas such as humanitarianism, culture, student exchange, and sports were mentioned.
President Putin also voiced criticism of the West’s checks on China and took China’s side.
President Putin said, “At the center of America’s policy toward China is the geopolitical nature and fear of China’s growing power,” adding, “It is not just about violations of some human rights or minority rights. “This is just a justification to fight China,” he claimed. “It is the same with Russia,” he said, adding that the West’s containment policy against Russia is also in the same context.
Regarding China’s economic slowdown, it also added weight to China’s argument that the West is exaggerating it and is fomenting a crisis.
President Putin said, “No matter what anyone says about the decline in China’s economic growth rate, it is useless, because China is one of the world’s economic powers with a high growth rate.” Rather, he added, “We have left a significant portion of the declining European market and are strengthening our presence in growing markets in other parts of the world, including Asia.”
Source: Donga