'We will work together as great powers': Xi Jinping tells counterpart Vladimir Putin at SCO meet

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Uzbekistan on Thursday during a leaders' summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Samarkand, told that Beijing was willing to work with Moscow as "great powers".

"China is willing to make efforts with Russia to assume the role of great powers, and play a guiding role to inject stability and positive energy into a world rocked by social turmoil," Xi told Putin, AFP reported.

The two leaders are in Uzbekistan for the summit of a security group formed by Beijing and Moscow as a counterweight to US influence.

In his first foreign visit since the pandemic, Xi was greeted at the Samarkand airport by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported.

"Recently, we have been overcoming the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, spoken many times via phone, and kept up effective strategic communications," Xi told Putin as per media reports.

"We are extremely willing to use this meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to exchange views with you on international and regional issues of common concern," Xi added.

The meeting also marks the first meeting between the two leaders since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Notably, the Chinese President has also shown his support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Moreover, showing its support to China over Taiwan's conflict, Putin condemned provocation by the US.

"We condemn the provocation of the US and their satellites in the Taiwan Strait," Putin said.

Jinping arrived in Uzbekistan on Wednesday and held talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on "deepening bilateral cooperation" and "regional and international issues of shared interest".

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a Eurasian political, economic and security organization and is made up of China, Russia, India, Pakistan and four Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to visit Uzbekistan at the invitation of the President of Uzbekistan. Modi will be on a two-day visit to Samarkand in Uzbekistan from September 15 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

(with sources inputs)