INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met for their first face-to-face talks since the start of the conflict in
Ukraine on Thursday, hailing their strategic ties in defiance of the West.Sitting across from each other at two long, rounded tables and
flanked by aides, the two leaders met on the sidelines of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in ex-Soviet
guiding role to inject stability and positive energy into a world rocked by social turmoil," Xi told Putin at the talks.Putin took a clear
unipolar world have recently acquired an absolutely ugly form and are completely unacceptable," Putin said."We highly appreciate the
balanced position of our Chinese friends in connection with the Ukrainian crisis," Putin told Xi, while reiterating Moscow's backing for
China on Taiwan."We adhere to the principle of one China
We condemn the provocation of the United States and their satellites in the Taiwan Strait," Putin said, after a United States Senate
committee on Wednesday took the first step towards Washington directly providing billions of dollars in military aid to Taiwan.'Alternative'
to WestIt was the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since Putin saw Xi in early February for the Winter Olympic Games, days
before the Russian leader launched the military offensive in Ukraine.The Kremlin has touted the SCO summit in the ancient Silk Road city of
political, economic and security organization to rival Western institutions.The leaders of those countries were to attend, as well as
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.Putin met with the leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan earlier
positively," while the Iranian leader told Putin that United States -backed sanctions on both countries would only make their relationship
"stronger.""The Americans think whichever country they impose sanctions on, it will be stopped, their perception is a wrong one," Raisi
said.For Putin the summit comes at an important time, as his forces face major battlefield setbacks in Ukraine and amid a continued Western
pivotal congress of the ruling Communist Party in October.'No-limits' relationshipFormerly Cold War allies with a tempestuous relationship,
global dominance of the United States.The two countries have also stepped up military cooperation, with China sending hundreds of troops to
Modi.It was not clear who else Xi might meet, although talks with Modi would be their first since 2019
China-India relations turned frosty over deadly fighting in 2020 on their disputed Himalayan border.Security was tight in Samarkand, a city
of grand tiled mosques that was one of the hubs of Silk Road trade routes between China and Europe, with a huge police presence on the
streets and armored vehicles parked downtown.Still, residents told AFP of their joy at hosting the meeting, pointing to the city's long
history as an international crossroads."We are proud that so many leaders of various countries are gathering in our city
Samarkand from ancient times was a legendary city," said 26-year-old Shakhboz Kombarov.
