Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed his readiness to work with Russian President Vladimir Putin to enhance bilateral relations between China and Russia. Xi's commitment was articulated in a message where he exchanged New Year greetings with Putin, emphasizing the goal of achieving "continuous new progress" in their partnership.
According to Anadolu Agency, Xi highlighted that the year 2025 will signify a significant phase in the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. This statement comes in the wake of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's stance against any form of independence for Taiwan, which he reiterated in comments to the Russian state news agency Tass.
Lavrov stated that Russia's position on Taiwan remains consistent and has been confirmed at the highest level, recognizing Taiwan as an integral part of China and opposing any move towards its independence. He emphasized that the Taiwan issue is considered an internal matter for the People's Republic of China, with Beijing holding legitimate grounds to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The developments occur amidst escalating tensions between China and Japan, particularly following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's assertion on November 7 that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could be deemed a "survival-threatening situation," thus potentially allowing Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense.