A Pariah In The West, Putin Finds Fans In Beijing

Sumaira FH Published May 16, 2024 | 03:10 PM

Beijing, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th May, 2024) Beijingers praised Vladimir Putin's "charisma" on Thursday and expressed hopes that China would deepen ties with Moscow as the Russian leader paid a two-day visit.

Putin's war in Ukraine, which began with the February 2022 invasion, is believed to have killed hundreds of thousands of people and has made the Russian president a pariah in much of the world.

However, as he sat down with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the capital, where a government that has not condemned the war strictly controls access to the media, Beijingers told AFP they thought highly of him.

Much attention was paid to Putin's physical appearance.

The Russian leader has famously been photographed shirtless to cultivate his "strongman" image, something that would be unthinkable among China's typically more staid political leadership.

"I think he shows a lot of self-confidence and I get the impression that he likes to exercise and take care of his body," said 30-year-old financial worker Keira Che.

"In short, he's someone who is charismatic," she said.

Accountant Linda Li acknowledged that she doesn't follow politics very closely but, she said, "I've always found Putin very handsome!"