Putin and Xi meet at SCO summit in Bishkek, discuss AI cooperation and visa-free regime

Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, with the two leaders discussing bilateral ties and international and regional issues. According to China's state-run Xinhua, Xi said that under the two countries' “strategic guidance and joint efforts”, the foundations of bilateral relations would become stronger and prospects would be brighter. “Uncertainties and unpredictable factors in the international situation have increased markedly,” Xi said, adding that people's pursuit of peace, development and cooperation remained unchanged. Xi said China was willing to work with Russia and others to “strengthen the forces leading the reform of global governance and advancing an equal and orderly multipolar world”, as per Reuters.

Putin highlights AI, digital innovation cooperation

Putin said Moscow wanted to expand cooperation with Beijing in artificial intelligence and digital innovation. “Cooperation is successfully developing on all fronts,” Putin told Xi ahead of their talks. “Digital innovations, including in artificial intelligence technologies, are also opening up new opportunities for the economic development of our countries,” he said. The two leaders last met in Beijing in May. The Kremlin said Putin and Xi also touched upon the Ukraine conflict during their meeting, though it was not the main theme of their talks.

Putin offers permanent visa-free regime

Putin also said Russia was ready to work with China to make their bilateral visa-free regime permanent if Beijing considered the move possible and useful, according to TASS. “We are ready to work together to make the visa-free regime permanent if the Chinese side considers this possible and useful,” Putin said. He noted that visa-free travel had helped increase tourist flows between the two countries by 43% in the first half of the year. The meeting came as leaders from several countries gathered in Bishkek for the two-day SCO summit. The grouping, founded in 2001 as a security forum by China, Russia and four Central Asian states, now includes 10 members. Xi also held separate meetings with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov on the sidelines of the summit. Mirziyoyev said he and Xi discussed further strengthening multifaceted cooperation between Uzbekistan and China across key areas. Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry said Xi noted that China-Kyrgyzstan relations had developed rapidly in recent years and that a treaty on permanent good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation would provide an important foundation for lasting friendship and mutual support between the two countries.

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