China welcomes Putin to APEC summit in Shenzhen, pledges cooperation
China's foreign ministry confirmed President Putin's attendance at November's APEC summit in Shenzhen, where he will meet President Xi. The ministry also addressed panda cooperation, noting Moscow Zoo's request to keep panda 'Katyusha' in Russia.
China has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen next month, where he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that China welcomes Putin's participation and looks forward to working with Russia to make the APEC 'China Year' a success.
Guo described the strategic guidance of head-of-state diplomacy as the most important political guarantee for the stable and long-term development of China-Russia relations. Putin had earlier stated that his meeting with Xi during the November summit would produce positive results.
The APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is scheduled to take place in Shenzhen in November, marking China's chairmanship of the forum in 2026. The gathering brings together leaders from the 21 member economies to discuss regional trade, economic integration, and sustainable development.
In a separate but related development, Guo addressed questions about the future of giant panda 'Katyusha' at Moscow Zoo. The zoo's director has expressed hope that the panda will remain in Russia and said discussions with Chinese authorities are ongoing.
Guo noted that Chinese giant pandas have been warmly received in Russia and have helped strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. He reaffirmed China's willingness to continue cooperation with Russia and other international partners on the protection of endangered species such as giant pandas, as well as in broader biodiversity conservation efforts.
The panda, born in Moscow in 2023, has become a popular attraction at the zoo and a symbol of bilateral cooperation in wildlife conservation.