CHINA: Chinese president Xi Jinping welcomes Russian president Vladimir Putin in a ceremony before the two leaders attend a bilateral meeting in Shanghai

Record ID: 872700

  • Title: CHINA: Chinese president Xi Jinping welcomes Russian president Vladimir Putin in a ceremony before the two leaders attend a bilateral meeting in Shanghai
  • Date: 20th May 2014
  • Summary: PUTIN SITTING WITH DELEGATES DURING BILATERAL MEETING VARIOUS OF XI SPEAKING PUTIN LISTENING RUSSIAN AND CHINESE NATIONAL FLAGS PUTIN SPEAKING XI LISTENING MEETING IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 4th June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • City:
  • Country: China
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA9TD5LJXLD57BLSUJC70P0OYL6
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Chinese president Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Shanghai on Tuesday (May 20).
    Putin is on a two-day visit to China and expectations have run high in recent months for both parties to ink a gas supply contract for Gazprom to supply China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) with 38 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas per year for 30 years.
    Analysts have estimated the deal to be worth about $400 billion.
    Chinese state media on Monday (May 19) quoted Putin as saying that preparations for a gas deal had entered "the final phase".
    Negotiations in the past have collapsed over differences on pricing.
    More broadly, the Russian leader, cold-shouldered in the West for his stance on Ukraine, can expect a warmer reception in China, itself increasingly assertive in territorial disputes with smaller neighbours in the South China Sea.
    The crisis in Ukraine, which has left European countries looking at ways to reduce dependency on Russian natural gas supplies, and Beijing's drive to switch from coal use to cleaner fuels, have created a convergence of interests.
    China's Xi has underscored the importance of ties with Russia, and Moscow was the first capital he visited after assuming the presidency last year. Xi also attended the Winter Olympics in Sochi at Putin's invitation.
    However, while the two see eye-to-eye on many international diplomatic issues, including the conflict in Syria, and generally vote as one on the United Nations Security Council, China has not been so willing to support Russia on Ukraine.
    Beijing has adopted a cautious response to the Ukraine crisis, not wanting to alienate a key ally. Putin and Ban are expected discuss the Ukraine crisis on the sidelines of the two-day summit.
    Trade between China and Russia is expected to reach $100 billion by 2015, Xi said on Tuesday, after meeting with Putin.
    Trade between the two countries was $88.8 bln in 2013.
    The two leaders are expected to sign documents and make a joint statement later on Tuesday.
    Putin is in Shanghai to attend the Fourth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which also draws Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
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