China welcomes Putin to November APEC meeting in Shenzhen
AM730 · 6 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
China’s foreign ministry said it welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting scheduled for Shenzhen in November, while stopping short of confirming any separate leaders’ meetings. Foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said leader-to-leader diplomacy provides the most important political guarantee for the steady, long-term development of China-Russia ties. He also said China is willing to work with Russia and other parties to deliver fruitful outcomes during “APEC China Year” and contribute to growth in the Asia-Pacific and the wider world. The response came after Putin said a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Shenzhen gathering would produce positive results, and also raised the possibility of a China-US-Russia trilateral exchange if an agenda were agreed.
Key Points
- The APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting is due to be held in Shenzhen in November, with China serving as this year’s host economy.
- Guo Jiakun said China welcomes Putin’s attendance and wants to work with Russia to secure fruitful outcomes for “APEC China Year.”
- Asked whether Xi and Putin would definitely meet, Beijing did not confirm a bilateral session or disclose any proposed agenda.
- Guo said leader-to-leader diplomacy is the most important political guarantee for keeping China-Russia relations on a steady long-term course.
- According to Chinese and Russian media accounts, Putin said a trilateral meeting with Xi and US President Donald Trump was possible if topics were set in advance
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the Shenzhen venue puts a major regional summit directly next to the city, underscoring how developments in the Greater Bay Area can quickly become part of wider geopolitical diplomacy. Beijing’s careful wording also suggests it wants to keep room for summit-level engagement without publicly locking in any bilateral or trilateral format before November.