Xi, Putin hold talks, sign joint statement on deepening ties
Xi, Putin hold talks, sign joint statement on deepening ties
Chinese President Xi Jinping held large-group talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is in China on a state visit, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. Analysts from both countries said the visit will reinforce and further promote the bilateral strategic ties with high level mutual-trust and broad common interests.
During the meeting, Xi again extended a warm welcome to Putin for his state visit to China. He pointed out that this is President Putin’s first foreign visit after he began his new term as the president. This fully demonstrates the great importance President Putin himself and the Russian government attach to developing China-Russia relations. China highly appreciates this.
Xi said this year marks the 75th anniversary of the China-Russia diplomatic relations. It is an important milestone year in the history of China-Russia relations. Over the past 75 years, China and Russia together have found a new path for major countries and neighboring countries to treat each other with respect and pursue amity and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Chinese economy maintains stable growth in April
China’s economy maintained stable growth in April, with key indexes on industry, exports, employment and price improving moderately from March, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Friday, underscoring that the world’s second-largest economy has been sustaining the solid recovery momentum since the beginning of the year despite facing multiple global and domestic headwinds.
Analysts predicted that China’s GDP could grow at a rate between 5.3 and 5.5 percent in the second quarter, slightly up from the 5.3-percent growth recorded in the first quarter. And the economy is set to unleash more potential in the second half, as a package of stimulus measures, including the issuance of ultra-long-term special treasury bonds and supports on property industry, take effect and as global demand continued to bounce back.
China’s industrial production jumped 6.7 percent year-on-year in April, compared with a 4.5-percent growth in March, NBS data showed. In April, retail sales gained 2.3 percent year-on-year, down from the March reading of 3.1 percent.
Philippine convoy deterred by Chinese forces, stops 50nm away from Huangyan Dao
A Philippine convoy organized by the Atin Ito Coalition has been deterred by Chinese forces, as it stopped 50 nautical miles away from China’s Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island) on Thursday, despite the organization’s claim of successfully completing its mission.
Atin Ito’s unilateral declaration of “mission accomplished” is an obvious deception, Chinese state media said.
The Atin Ito Coalition on Thursday reportedly announced that an advance team of its civilian-led resupply mission to China’s Huangyan Dao had “bypassed China’s blockade,” as the organizations’ co-convenor Rafaela David claimed “mission accomplished.”
However, the actual situation at sea is that after being deterred by the rights-safeguarding and law enforcement forces from the Chinese side, the Philippine vessels stopped more than 50 nautical miles away from China’s Huangyan Dao.