Putin offers permanent visa-free regime to China at SCO Summit

President Putin meets Xi Jinping on sidelines of SCO Summit, says ready to work with Beijing to make visa-free regime permanent

Bishkek, August 31

In a post on X, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the two leaders held a bilateral meeting.

"On August 31, President of Russia Vladimir Putin & President of China Xi Jinping held a meeting in Bishkek," the Ministry said.

President Putin said at the meeting that his country is ready to work with China to make the bilateral visa-free regime permanent if Beijing considers this possible and useful, according to Russian News Agency 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, the report stated.

President Putin noted that visa-free travel had helped increase tourist flows between the countries by 43% in the first half of the year.

The Chinese President also met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

President Mirziyoyev said in a post on X that they discussed strengthening of cooperation between the two countries.

"On the sidelines of the #SCO summit, President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in #Bishkek. The leaders discussed further strengthening multifaceted cooperation between #Uzbekistan and #China across key areas," he said.

Earlier, President Jinping also met with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov. "President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov @sadyrzhaparovkg held talks with President Xi Jinping. President Xi noted that in recent years, China-Kyrgyzstan relations have developed by leaps and bounds," Mao Ning, Spokesperson of the China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a post on X.

"The signing of the treaty between China and Kyrgyzstan on permanent good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation will provide an important foundation for the two countries to enjoy lasting friendship and unwavering mutual support," the post added.

— ANI