Russian official expects Xi's visit to foster global stability, certainty

A Russian official expressed great anticipation for Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming state visit, saying he hopes it will foster deeper cooperation between China and Russia and contribute to global stability and certainty.

Xi will pay a state visit to Russia from May 7-10 and attend celebrations in Moscow marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation.

In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Andrey Denisov, First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, highlighted the importance of Xi's visit from the perspective of China-Russia relations and the international situation.

He pointed out that President Xi enjoys immense respect in Russia, stating that his attendance as a key guest at the celebrations not only reflects political decision-making but also resonates with the sentiments of the Russian people.

"President Xi Jinping is not only an exceptional political leader of today's world but also an extraordinary figure with remarkable personal charisma. He holds great esteem across Russian society. As a well-known and beloved friend of the Russian people, he has visited our country many times, so we are eagerly looking forward to his visit this time. President Xi will attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War as our distinguished guest. This is more than just a political decision; it also reflects the will of the Russian people," he said.

Denisov said that the state visit holds profound significance, not only in deepening bilateral cooperation but also in strengthening both countries' ability to address shared challenges.

"The visit of the President of the People's Republic of China carries multiple important meanings. In addition to attending the Victory Day celebrations, it includes a state visit. This will involve meetings and talks, the signing of cooperation agreements, and possible in-depth exchanges between the two leaders in a more intimate setting. Amidst the volatile international landscape, China and Russia face many similar challenges, making strategic communication between the two countries especially vital. Only by working together can we effectively address these challenges," he said.

He said he expects the visit to strengthen China-Russia ties and help bring more stability and certainty to the world.

"We look forward to this visit fostering deeper alignment between the two countries, based on the shared understanding of international situations and strategic positions. This will not only strengthen our ability to safeguard mutual interests but also inject more stability and certainty into the world," Denisov said.

Russian official expects Xi's visit to foster global stability, certainty

The death toll from a landfill collapse in the central Philippine city of Cebu has risen to eight by Monday morning as search and rescue operations continued for another 28 missing people.

The landfill collapse occurred on Thursday as dozens of sanitation workers were working at the site. The disaster has already caused injuries of 18 people.

Family members of the missing people said the rescue progress is slow, and the hope for the survival of their loved ones is fading.

"For me, maybe I’ve accepted the worst result already because the garbage is poisonous and yesterday, it was raining very hard the whole day. Maybe they’ve been poisoned. For us, alive or dead, I hope we can get their bodies out of the garbage rubble," said Maria Kareen Rubin, a family member of a victim.

Families have set up camps on high ground near the landfill, awaiting news of their relatives. Some people at the site said cries for help could still be heard hours after the landfill collapsed, but these voices gradually faded away.

Bienvenido Ranido, who lost his wife in the disaster, said he can't believe all that happened.

"After they gave my wife oxygen, my kids and I were expecting that she would be saved that night because she was still alive. But the night came and till the next morning, they didn't manage to save her," he said.

Death toll in central Philippine landfill collapse rises to eight