BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Russia next week to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin, the two countries said on Friday, as Beijing touts a plan to end the grinding Ukraine war that has received a lukewarm welcome on both sides.
Xi's March 20-22 trip comes after China last month published a 12-point plan for "a political resolution of the Ukraine crisis" and after a senior Chinese diplomat called on Thursday for negotiations in a call with Ukraine's foreign minister.
The plan calls for the protection of civilians and for Russia and Ukraine to respect each other's sovereignty.
However, the United States and NATO have said Beijing's efforts to mediate are not credible as it has refrained from condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation".
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Xi's visit to Russia - his first in nearly four years - was in part to promote "peace", although he made no explicit mention of the Ukraine war.
He said the leaders would also exchange opinions on major regional and international issues, strengthen bilateral trust and deepen economic partnerships.
'NO LIMITS' PARTNERSHIP
The Kremlin said in a statement that Xi and Putin would discuss "topical issues of further development of comprehensive partnership relations and strategic cooperation between Russia and China". The statement also made no mention of Ukraine.
Xi will hold a telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy following his Russia visit, according to some media reports. Beijing has not confirmed the call.
China and Russia announced a "no limits" partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympics, days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine, triggering the biggest conflict seen in Europe since World War Two.
Beijing and Moscow have since continued to reaffirm the strength of their ties. Bilateral trade has soared since the invasion and China is Russia's biggest buyer of oil, a key source of revenue for Moscow.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions have fled their homes in Ukraine since the invasion and there is currently no sign of either side actively seeking an end to the conflict.
Ukraine has taken issue with Beijing's proposals for not stating that Russia should withdraw behind borders in place since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, though it later said it was open to "parts of the plan".
Russia welcomed Beijing's initiative and said it would make a "nuanced study" of the plan but has also said it sees no sign for now of a peaceful resolution.
Moscow says Ukraine must accept its annexation of four regions in the east and south of the country along with the loss of Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula it forcibly annexed in 2014.
Russia says its actions in Ukraine are a defensive pushback against a hostile and aggressive West, while Kyiv and its Western allies say they represent an imperial-style land grab.
Reuters
Fri Mar 17 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Russia next week to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin. - AP/Filepic
Jiwa SME: Permintaan daun moringa meningkat, jadi tumpuan luar negara
Berdasarkan laporan Vodus Market Research, sebuah firma penyelidikan dan analisis data pasaran dalam talian, kira-kira 71 peratus penduduk di negara ini mengambil suplemen pada 2021.
Nilai pasaran suplemen negara juga menunjukkan peningkatan ketara dalam tempoh 2014 hingga 2019, iaitu daripada RM2.07 bilion kepada RM3.1 bilion. Angka itu dijangka terus meningkat pada masa akan datang.
Nilai pasaran suplemen negara juga menunjukkan peningkatan ketara dalam tempoh 2014 hingga 2019, iaitu daripada RM2.07 bilion kepada RM3.1 bilion. Angka itu dijangka terus meningkat pada masa akan datang.
Biden kekal tidak sokong pencerobohan di Rafah
Mesej itu disampaikan menerusi perbualan telefon dengan Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu pada Ahad.
Biden kekal tidak sokong pencerobohan di Rafah
Presiden Amerika Syarikat, Joe Biden bercakap dengan Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, pada Ahad.
Tiga perkara perlu dilakukan bagi elak kemusnahan di Gaza
Presiden Palestin Mahmoud Abbas menyuarakan tiga perkara yang perlu diberikan pertimbangan masyarakat dunia dan mengiktiraf Palestin sebagai negara merdeka termasuk ahli penuh Persatuan Bangsa Bangsa Bersatu (PBB). Beliau berkata demikian di Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Dunia (WEF) di Riyadh hari ini.
Delegasi Hamas ke Kaherah bincang gencatan senjata
Satu delegasi Hamas akan melawat Kaherah untuk rundingan yang bertujuan untuk mendapatkan gencatan senjata, pada Isnin.
37 juta tan serpihan runtuhan di Gaza - UNMAS
Pusingan konflik Palestin-Israel yang bermula pada Oktober 2023 telah meninggalkan kira-kira 37 juta tan serpihan runtuhan di Semenanjung Gaza.
WCK sambung misi bantuan di Gaza
World Central Kitchen (WCK) menyambung semula operasi di Semenanjung Gaza, pada Isnin.
Protes di universiti A.S tidak tunjuk tanda perlahan
Protes di universiti Amerika Syarikat tidak menunjukkan tanda perlahan pada hujung minggu dengan lebih banyak tangkapan di kampus dan pertempuran singkat antara penunjuk perasaan pro-Israel dan pro-Palestin di UCLA California.
Banjir ragut 76 nyawa di seluruh Kenya
Daerah Nairobi terjejas teruk akibat banjir dengan hampir 17,000 isi rumah dipindahkan.
Nahas skuter elektrik meningkat di Jepun selepas peraturan dilonggar
Dalam tempoh enam bulan sejak Julai lepas, 85 nahas lalu lintas melibatkan skuter elektrik dicatatkan dan mengakibatkan 86 kecederaan.
Pemimpin China, Jerman bincang krisis Ukraine
Presiden China, Xi Jinping bertemu dengan Canselor Jerman, Olaf Scholz di Wisma Tetamu Diaoyutai Beijing.
Memanfaatkan potensi hubungan Malaysia-China untuk kemakmuran masa depan
Trajektori masa hadapan hubungan Kuala Lumpur-Beijing bergantung kepada libat urus berterusan dan usaha mempromosi pembangunan mampan dan kemakmuran.
'Tanah Besar China, Taiwan sedarah sedaging' - Presiden Xi
Tanah Besar China dan Taiwan sedarah sedaging dan hubungan antara kedua-dua pantai Selat Taiwan harus ditangani dengan menjaga kepentingan keseluruhan dan memacu pembangunan untuk jangka masa panjang.
China, Rusia setuju kekalkan pertukaran pastikan hubungan berkembang lancar
Presiden Rusia Vladimir Putin dan Presiden China Xi Jinping bersepakat untuk terus mengekalkan pertukaran erat bagi memastikan hubungan bilateral berkembang dengan lancar dan stabil.
China berharap jadi rakan, bukan pencabar Amerika Syarikat
Perkembangan hubungan China-Amerika Syarikat (AS) yang diterajui pemimpin kedua-dua negara stabil pada masa ini, kata Perdana Menteri China Li Qiang.
Setiausaha Perbendaharaan AS Yellen tiba di China
Pesawat yang membawa Yellen mendarat di pusat industri selatan China, Guangzhou pada tengah hari Khamis.
Prabowo mahu tingkatkan persahabatan, kerjasama Indonesia-China
Menteri Pertahanan Indonesia Prabowo Subianto zahirkan harapan untuk meningkatkan hubungan persahabatan dan kerjasama di antara Indonesia dan China.
Prabowo lakukan kunjungan hormat ke atas Presiden Xi Jinping di Beijing
Prabowo Subianto melakukan kunjungan hormat ke atas Presiden China Xi Jinping di Great Hall of the People di Beijing.
Presiden China dahului mesej ucapan tahniah terhadap pemilihan semula Presiden Putin
Xi berkata pemilihan semula Putin mencerminkan sepenuhnya sokongan daripada rakyat negara itu.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.