Russian Prez Putin congratulates Xi on unprecedented third term

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping who secured an unprecedented third term as the leader of the Chinese Community Party.

Xi was elected general secretary of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the state media outlet Xinhua reported today.

"The results of the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party fully confirmed your high political authority and the unity of the party you head," Putin said in his congratulatory message posted on the Kremlin website.

"I am certain that the resolutions of the Congress will help successfully implement the grand social and economic tasks facing China, and will assist in strengthening the country's position in the international arena," he added.

Putin also expressed hope for "constructive dialogue and close joint work to develop the relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic alliance between our two states."

Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, China has been among the few countries that have refused to condemn Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and continue to provide tacit support to Putin's Russia.

The US-led sanctions have trimmed Russia's oil revenue but China remains one of the largest buyers of Russian oil, at a much cheaper rate than before the start of the conflict.

Writing for Portal Plus, Valerio Fabbri contended that under the current geopolitical scenario, diplomatic relations between Russia and China are getting stronger as Russia has become dependent on China.

"But for China's reliance on Russia as a geopolitical partner, however, is more of a dilemma especially given its stance for peace," he added.

Oksana Lesnyak, an academic at the Kyiv-based Center for Global Studies Strategy XXI, pointed out that China's imports from Russia jumped a record 80 per cent in May over the same month last year.

Lesnyak said Chinese car brands ranked second in sales in Russia in July while Chinese smartphones accounted for two-thirds of all new sales in Russia between April and June, Portal Plus reported.