Putin hopes for greater youth exchange between China, Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced his willingness to strengthen education cooperation with China and further deepen cultural exchanges among youth in a speech at the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Friday.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, which have enjoyed a long history of cooperation in education.

HIT has developed scientific and educational cooperation with a number of well-known Russian universities, including St Petersburg University.

At the HIT, Putin exchanged views and interacted with the faculty and students on educational and scientific cooperation, cultural exchanges and mutual learning, and youth growth and development.

Cooperation between Russian and Chinese universities has provided high-quality learning opportunities for the youth of the two countries and deepened the two peoples' understanding of each other, the Russian president said.

He stressed that the Russian side is willing to continue to strengthen cooperation with China and provide more platforms for exchanges and learning for the youth of both countries.

About 90,000 students in primary and secondary schools and universities in Russia are learning Chinese and many people in China are also learning Russian, Putin noted.

As the cooperation between Russia and China expands to more areas and reaches higher level, there is a need for an increasing number of talented language learners with professional expertise, he said.

He highlighted reading, music and daily exercise as hobbies for the young students, saying that Russia and China, both major sports countries, could cooperate more in the field of sports in the future.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin arrived in Beijing on Thursday for a state visit to China.

Putin arrived in Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang Province, in the early hours of Friday, and attended the opening ceremony of the eighth China-Russia Expo.

He also laid flowers at the Soviet Red Army Martyrs Monument to pay tribute to those who died in the battles for the liberation of northeast China.

Standing at about 18 meters high, the monument was erected in 1945 to commemorate fallen Soviet Red Army soldiers in battles against the Japanese invaders in China.

Putin hopes for greater youth exchange between China, Russia

Putin hopes for greater youth exchange between China, Russia

Putin hopes for greater youth exchange between China, Russia

Putin hopes for greater youth exchange between China, Russia

Taiwan has been an integral part of China's territory since ancient times, and external forces should immediately stop arming Taiwan, which is disrupting the international order and regional peace and stability, said Timor-Leste's President Jose Ramos-Horta on Saturday on the sidelines of the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue.

In an exclusive interview with China Global Television (CGTN), Ramos-Horta said he was an supporter of the one-China principle before Timor-Leste declared independence in 2002, and has refuted the separatist actions of the Taiwan authorities.

"We have no disagreements with China on the fundamental issue for China, which is Taiwan. Long before we already supported the one-China policy, even when we are very poor. In 2002, Taiwan was approaching us with incentives to establish relations. I personally told the Taiwanese elements who came to Timor-Leste before independence in 2000. I told them, I want to be honest with you. We, Timor-Leste, we don't play the checkbook diplomacy. I told them that many countries who are recognizing you, they do because of money," he said.

Most countries in the world recognize that Taiwan is part of China, however, some countries, including the United States, continue to provide military aids to Taiwan, which is a blatant provocation, said Ramos-Horta.

"So even when we're very poor, we have to be serious in an international relation, in any relationship. Taiwan was all historically part of China. Most of the world recognize that Taiwan is part of China, and yet, countries like the U.S. and others still selling advanced aircraft, all kinds of weapons to that territory that is yours. How the Chinese would feel? If at least instead of selling weapons, they just do trade, they just set companies there or whatever, but selling advanced weapons, believe me, that is deterrence," he said.

The 21st Shangri-La Dialogue is scheduled to be held from Friday to Sunday in Singapore. Since its launch in 2002 by the British think tank the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the Shangri-La Dialogue, officially known as the Asia Security Summit, has been held annually, except for 2020 and 2021, with the support of the Singaporean government.

President of Timor-Leste says he supports one-China principle