Xi Jinping

According to Xinhua news agency, the meeting took place in the afternoon at the Great Hall of the People. More details are awaited. Blinken is also the first Secretary of State to travel to China in five years, as well as the most senior official making the visit since President Joe Biden took office in early 2021.

"At present, momentous changes unseen in a century are accelerating across the world. I put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative to provide Chinese solutions to global challenges," Xi Jinping said.

In the message, Kim said that Beijing has "built a comprehensively well-off society" and that its "national power and international position remarkably strengthened" under Xi's "energetic" leadership, according to North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Chinese President Xi Jinping also appeared to pledge that China would remain neutral in the conflict, saying Beijing "will neither watch the fire from the other side, nor add fuel to the fire, let alone take advantage of the crisis to profit", according to China Central Television.

In the last few months, President Xi Jinping has met Russia's Vladimir Putin; hosted several world leaders, including Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who arrived this week; sent a top envoy to court Europe; and presented a 12-point solution to the Ukraine war, BBC reported.

The remarks came as Kim received a message from Xi as the latter thanked the North Korean leader for congratulating him on his re-election as president of China, according to Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). In the message, Xi "attaches great importance to the relations between the two parties and two countries, expressing his willingness to accelerate the development of the socialist cause of the two countries.

China and Russia's ties have benefited both countries economically, and bilateral trade surged in the last year. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for expanding cooperation in sectors like energy and supply chains after a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. With his country facing withering Western sanctions.

Much is already underway, with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation already discussing mutual cooperation and development with the Eurasian Economic Union. Add in a BRICS+ and the Belt and Road Initiative and the world starts to look rather different than it did pre-Covid, Ellis said. At that time, President Putin stated.

"Change is coming that hasn't happened in 100 years. And we are driving this change together," Xi told Putin via his interpreter - words sure to set alarm bells ringing in the West. "Please, take care, dear friend," he added, gripping Putin's hand warmly before being waved off by the Russian President who bid Xi a "safe journey".

The visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Moscow is seen as a boost for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is subject to an International Criminal Court warrant over accusations of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. The two leaders discussed the Ukraine conflict, and Putin praised Beijing's 12-point position paper on the conflict.