Putin was invited to Beijing to celebrate the victory over Japan – RBC

President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin (left to right) during a meeting at the summit of the BRICS

Photo: TASS

The first day of the summit of the BRICS (group of developing countries as part of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in Ufa, began talks with President Vladimir Putin, Chairman of the Xi Jinping.

The meeting of Putin and Xi Jinping, the second this year, was held in an expanded format with the participation of the ministers of foreign affairs, energy and finance. In his welcoming remarks, the leaders did not mention the agenda of the talks, but the composition of the participants suggests that will be raised issues of financial and economic cooperation. Bilateral trade has stalled: in 2014 the volume of trade amounted to $ 88.4 billion, while in January-April this year, the country’s only gain by selling $ 20.6 billion. The fall of 29.4%, was recorded due to a sharp decline in prices for engergonositeli and raw materials supplied from Russia, as well as an overall reduction of Chinese imports, according to the materials of the press service of the Kremlin.

Putin welcomed “dear friend” in “one of the most beautiful cities of the Volga region”. The inhabitants of these territories, according to the Russian president, “did much to prepare properly.” “Aware of the difficulties encountered in the world economy and politics,” – said Putin expressed confidence that together “will be able to solve all the challenges before us».

Xi Jinping appealed to Putin as the his “old friend.” “Many people have asked where the Ufa. And on the plane saw a beautiful city, very clean city, I live in a very nice hotel, “- he began with compliments C Bashkir capital, hastily preparing for the summit on the eve. Then he thanked for the warm reception in Moscow in May. According to the Chinese chairman parade on Red Square on Victory Day he made a strong impression on him and the Chinese people. The expert MGIMO Igor Denisov in an article for the Moscow Carnegie Center, pointed out that the Moscow parade did not show the Chinese central news channels.

Xi Jinping expressed the hope that Putin will arrive in Beijing on parade in September honor of the victory over the “Japanese invaders.” He concluded its accession Chinese leader words of condolence on the death of former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, whom he called “one of the founders of strategic partnership” between Russia and China. It Primakov in 1998, expressed the idea of ​​a “strategic triangle” consisting of India, China and Russia. Then she got her development as in the relations between New Delhi and Beijing maintain a certain strain caused by unresolved territorial disputes, China’s support for Pakistan and the activities in India of the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing considers a separatist. But in the end the two countries have gone to the rendezvous, especially in economic matters. The first meeting was held in the format of BRICS in 2008, and the following year began to be regular summits.

Once C Tszinpina Putin will hold talks on Wednesday with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South African President Jacob and Belarus Zuma and Alexander Lukashenko. Working arrangements BRICS summit will be held July 9.

«Forever with Russia»

The main working activities of the summit held in the Congress Hall, which was built specifically for the adoption of major international meetings. Another area – renovated for the summits Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theatre, where the evening reception will take place on July 9, on behalf of the president of Russia, there will be talks between Putin and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and Brazil and Dilma Ruseff. Wednesday evening, an informal dinner held in BRICS Dasko Garden restaurant in the central park it. Mazhit Gafuri.

Preparation of Ufa to the BRICS summit and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization began in the winter of 2013. It was built a new airport terminal (construction cost 1.6 billion rubles.), For the reconstruction of the Opera and Ballet Theatre and the Concert Hall “Bashkortostan” went 2 billion rubles. All 80 hotels in the city have been renovated, seven more were built from scratch. It is expected that they will be filled, as the total number of participants in the two summits including journalists and support staff will reach 10 thousand. Man. City officials reported that the summit was arranged about 140 thousand square meters. asphalt and 130 thousand square meters. paving slabs, made outdoor illumination, equipped with modern energy-saving lamps. Part of the work culminated in an emergency mode, the remaining homes in disrepair closed photo wallpapers, wooden houses in the central streets painted gray with only the facade.

The city is decorated with billboards for the summits, welcomes the participants. On one of the slopes of the White River lined with the flags of Russia and Bashkortostan with the inscription “Forever with Russia».

Russia holds a summit in Ufa on the Rights of the Presidency of the association of developing countries. The summit is held in the middle of the Russian presidency, which will be completed in February next year and will go to India.