Putin Meets Dear Friend Xi Xinping For 42nd Time In 10 Years

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As you are reading this China is hosting its third international forum on the Belt and Road Initiative, which over the past 10 years has built massive infrastructure across continents.
At least 20 heads of state from Southeast and South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America are attending. Including Russian President Vladimir Putin who will be meeting his "dear friend" President Xi Xinping of China for the 42nd time in 10 years. (Or maybe it is their 43rd meeting together).
In 2019 Xi told Russian media: “President Putin is the foreign colleague that I have interacted with most extensively. He is my best friend, and I greatly treasure our friendship.”
At the forum, Putin will also speak after Xi's opening speech. Putin attended the two previous forums in 2017 and 2019.Other attendees include President Jokowi of Indonesia,  Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez.

Russia is China’s 2nd-largest trade partner outside Asiatrade between the two countries surged 30% in 1st half 20231/3 of Russian oil exports (2.0 million bpd) go to ChinaBy 2024, trade between two countries to reach US$200 billion Putin saidRussia eager to secure Power of Siberia-2 pipeline, 50b cubic metres (bcm) a yearFor China, Russia is major source of oil, gas and technology aviation, rocket, submarine technology shared with ChinaPutin's large delegation : key ministers,  heads of energy giants and SberbankAlso heads of Military-Technical Cooperation and financial intelligence agency 
My Comments :

If you are wondering where are our kampong boys well no surprise, they are visiting Saudi Arabia instead. What on earth for? Maybe hoping to get high on camel mandy rice. They obviously do not understand who puts butter on their bread.
Believe me nothing good will come out of a meeting of a bunch of "Islamic" heads of state.    Jokowi seems to have more sense. 

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
By Syed Akbar Ali 

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