Putin Visits China to Reaffirm Ties Amid Global Tensions

Guo Jiakun stressed that China was ready to advance mutually beneficial cooperation with Russia at a higher level and support the development of both countries

Beyond bromance: Xi-Putin summit a nod to China’s superpower status  The Straits Times

The presidents of the United States and Russia visited Beijing on separate trips in May to meet with President Xi Jinping. The South China Morning Post produced extensive coverage of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s summit meetings in Beijing. Here are some of the highlights of our coverage, showing you what happened, what it means, and what’s next. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. The Xi-Trump summit is over. What comes next in the US-China...

China and Russia released a joint statement on Thursday in the wake of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin a day earlier, during which the two leaders signed an agreement to boost strategic ties and a separate declaration to push for a multipolar global order and witnessed the sealing of more than 20 agreements on cooperation in areas including energy, trade and science and technology. China-Russia Joint Statement by scmp

John Kavulich opined that Russia is particularly interested in China as both a purchaser of resources from and as a provider of products and services required to sustain the economy of Russia

We have put together stories from our coverage of Xi and Putin’s meeting in Beijing. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Xi and Putin’s united front – from tigers to trade: the summit takeaways Putin’s trip to Beijing came only days after US President Donald Trump’s closely watched visit to the Chinese capital, the back-to-back summits highlighting the strong trust between Beijing and Moscow and China’s ability to manage ties with the two major...

Sergey Lavrov said that characterizations of relations between Russia and China, voiced by the presidents of Russia and China, fully coincide

The Russian president announced agreement on forty bilateral documents

Russia and China showed they were shoulder-to-shoulder on the world stage, but it became clear there are limits, says the BBC's Russia Editor.

Days after US President Donald Trump’s visit framed around managing risks, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached a raft of agreements and pledged deeper cooperation as they met in Beijing. An analyst in China captured the stark contrast between the two visits as a clear choice between pomp and pragmatism. “Over these 30 years, our relations, tempered by wind and rain, have risen to ever new heights, following the dictates of the times,” Xi said after the...

A brief farewell ceremony was organized for the Russian leader upon his arrival at the airport

During the 90-minute sitdown, the most important issues on the agenda were broached

Xi, Putin have tea chat in Beijing  Xinhua

The Russian president stressed that Moscow and Beijing had carried out productive and substantial work

Xinhua Headlines: Xi, Putin hail "new stage" of ties in Beijing meeting  Xinhua

The Russian and Chinese leaders agreed on bilateral cooperation during Putin's visit to China.

Choreography of back-to-back visits appeared deliberately mirrored but China made sure the differences were noticed Days after Donald Trump was greeted in Beijing with a military band, an honour guard and dozens of youths waving American and Chinese flags, Vladimir Putin arrived in China to an almost identical spectacle. The choreography of the two welcomes appeared deliberately mirrored, designed to showcase Beijing’s ability to host leaders from Washington and Moscow with equal grandeur. Continue reading...

Li Qiang stressed that amid the current turbulence in global affairs, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping had outlined "an ambitious plan for further development of bilateral relations"

TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov and Xinhua CEO Fu Hua took the high-ranking guests to an improvised tour, presenting 26 photographs

Trade turnover between Russia and China has grown by more than 10% this year

Chinese premier meets Russian president  Xinhua

The Russian president said that Moscow and Beijing held an exchange of opinions on essential international issues

Xi, Putin visit photo exhibition celebrating China-Russia friendship  Xinhua

Xi, Putin attend opening ceremony of China-Russia Years of Education  Xinhua

The reception and Vladimir Putin’s visit in general took place on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation

The Russian leader described Russia and China as "important trade partners for each other"

Two presidential visits days apart is how Xi Jinping wants the world to see him: talking to everyone, tied to no-one.

The Russian president added that trade cooperation will continue in line with approved long-term strategies

Genie Godula is pleased to welcome Dr. Flavia Lucenti, Postdoctoral Researcher at LUISS University for the EU Horizon Project REMIT. With Vladimir Putin in Beijing less than a week after Donald Trump’s own visit to China, Dr. Lucent emphasizes the historic significance in the sequencing of visits, revealing China’s increasingly central diplomatic role. She explores how the wars in Ukraine and Iran are reshaping the Sino Russian partnership. And Dr. Lucenti also highlights the structural asymmetry in the relationship: while China purchases a substantial share of Russian exports, “Russia accounts only 4% of China international trade”.

Xi, Putin jointly meet press  Xinhua

According to the Russian leader, Moscow and Beijing build their dialogue based on equality and respect for each other’s interests as they pursue the goal of promoting the well-being of their nations

Xi holds talks with Putin in Beijing  Xinhua

Production of Chinese-brand automobiles has been established in Moscow and a number of Russian regions, the Russian leader recalled

The Russian president noted that the capacity of border crossings is increasing, many of which operate around the clock, and new logistics hubs are being created

President Vladimir Putin is in Beijing for talks with President Xi Jinping, in a closely watched visit that comes just days after President Trump's high-profile trip to China.

The Russian president added that both countries intend to promote the alignment of integrated processes within the EAEU and China’s Belt and Road Initiative

The Russian leader noted that it will be implemented based on the accumulated solid experience of mutually beneficial interaction

The Russian president noted that students practice the Russian language at more than 200 universities and 125 schools in China

Meeting President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Beijing, China’s leader called for a halt to fighting in the Middle East and took a veiled swipe at the United States.

The Russian presidential spokesman added that no trilateral format is being discussed

The Kremlin spokesman said the format is a mandatory attribute of meetings between the Russian president and his Chinese counterpart

Putin, Xi meet to reaffirm ties days after Trump's visit  Bloomberg.com

Watch Putin, Xi meet to reaffirm ties days after Trump's visit  Bloomberg.com

Watch Putin: Russia, China Back “Democratic World Order”  Bloomberg.com

The Russian president specified that trade turnover reached almost $240 bln in 2025

China’s Xi, Russia’s Putin praise ties at Beijing talks; energy in focus  The Straits Times

Xinhua News | Xi, Putin attend opening ceremony of China-Russia Years of Education  Xinhua

Xinhua News | Xi, Putin jointly meet press  Xinhua

Xinhua News | Xi, Putin attend signing ceremony of cooperation documents  Xinhua

Xinhua News | Xi, Putin sign joint statement on enhancing comprehensive strategic coordination, deepening good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation  Xinhua

As energy cooperation tops the summit agenda, back-to-back state visits of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin could pave the way for emerging “trilateral coordination” between China, Russia and the United States. That is according to Cui Hongjian, a former diplomat and the head of European studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University. But Cui said the US would remain the biggest uncertainty. During talks with visiting Russian leader Putin on Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said both...

According to the Russian leader, it is based on the principles of equality and observance of each other’s interests, mutual support, friendship and genuine neighborliness

Putin and Xi reaffirm 'unyielding' ties days after Trump visit  Le Monde.fr

The head of state emphasized that Moscow-Beijing relations served as an example of a genuinely comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation

President Xi Jinping hailed China and Russia’s “unyielding” ties in talks with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, as the pair met to underscore their alliance days after US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Asian superpower economy. After the US president was received with pomp last week but left without major breakthroughs, including on help with reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Putin’s visit will be scrutinised for tangible takeaways. Putin is, however, weakened by years of Russia’s war on Ukraine, as sanctions by Western powers put the squeeze on energy revenues and increased Moscow’s dependence on China, the main buyer of Russian oil. The US war on Iran has, however, hampered crude and gas flows, giving an opportunity to Putin to offer Russian energy sources as an alternative. Analysts believe that Putin could use the visit to push for progress on the major “Power of Siberia 2” natural gas pipeline from Russia to China through Mongolia — a land alternative to crude imported by sea from the Middle East. Opening talks in Beijing’s opulent Great Hall of the People, Putin and Xi were quick to laud their countries’ special ties as they extended their treaty of “friendly cooperation”. Beijing and Moscow have “continuously deepened our political mutual trust and strategic coordination with a resilience that remains unyielding”, Xi told the Russian leader, according to Chinese state media. Putin, meanwhile, told Xi relations had reached an “unprecedentedly high level” despite “unfavourable external factors”, without naming any third country, video from Russian media showed. Xi warned of “unilateral and hegemonic countercurrents running rampant”, in a veiled swipe at the United States. ‘Old friend’ Xi has played host to a series of world leaders as an increasingly unpredictable United States under Trump pushed many to shore up alliances with Beijing, and the war in Iran has further accelerated the trend. Russia-China ties have deepened since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Putin visiting Beijing every year since as his country is shunned by Western powers. Putin’s visit promises to be less opulent than Trump’s, emphasising that “the Xi-Putin relationship does not require that kind of performative reassurance”, said Patricia Kim from the Brookings Institution in Washington. Xi welcomed Putin with open arms as an “old friend” when he last visited Beijing in September 2025 — language the Chinese leader did not extend to Trump last week. Both Putin and Xi view ties as “structurally stronger and more stable” than those between China and the United States, she told AFP. Beijing has regularly called for talks to end the war in Ukraine but has never condemned Russia for sending in troops, presenting itself instead as a neutral party. But with Russia reliant on sales to China to sustain its war effort, “Putin does not want to lose that support”, Asia Society’s Lyle Morris told AFP. Middle East priorities When it comes to the US-Israeli war on Iran, though, China and Russia may have different priorities. Russia has sought to capitalise on the energy crisis and rocketing oil prices spurred by the closure of the Hormuz strait. Russia’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov had said after meeting Xi in April that Russia could “compensate” for China’s energy shortages as the Middle East war hits global supplies. China, however, wants the Middle East conflict concluded as soon as possible. Xi underlined in talks with Putin that further hostilities in the Middle East are “inadvisable” as he said a “comprehensive ceasefire is of utmost urgency”. “[China] relies on the freedom of the world’s major waterways to sustain its economic activities, and would prefer that the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz end sooner rather than later,” James Char of Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University told AFP.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing at the start of a visit focused on energy security. While Xi hailed his country's "unyielding" ties with Russia, Putin praised the "unprecedentedly high level" of bilateral cooperation despite "unfavourable external factors", without naming any third country.

According to the Russian president, the talks were held in a traditionally friendly and trust-based atmosphere

The Russian leader emphasized that the countries' foreign policy cooperation was one of the main stabilizing factors on the international stage

Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday in a meeting meant to reaffirm ties and that takes place only days after a visit by President Donald Trump.

"One day apart feels like three autumns," the Russian head of state said

Xi and Putin meet to reaffirm China-Russia ties days after Trump’s visit to Beijing  The Washington Post

China, Russia should build 'just, reasonable' global governance system, Xi tells Putin  Anadolu Ajansı

Putin and Xi hold bilateral talks after ceremony in Beijing  Middle East Eye

Putin says Russia-China relations at 'unprecedentedly high level' amid surging bilateral trade  Anadolu Ajansı

The venue is expected to host a Russia-China meeting involving key officials, talks between the two countries’ delegations, and Russian president's meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang

Xi and Putin meet to reaffirm China-Russia ties days after Trump’s visit to Beijing  AP News

Russia-China ties at ‘unprecedented level,’ Putin says ahead of China visit  AP News

Xi and Putin hold talks just days after US President Donald Trump made an official visit to China.

Xi and Putin back shared 'multipolar' vision in Beijing after Trump visit  Nikkei Asia

Hosting Putin after Trump, Xi calls for more 'reasonable global governance'  Nikkei Asia

Putin’s meeting with Xi Jinping aims to discuss a range of things, from bilateral ties, to growing trade and cooperation between the two allies, as well as discussing global agendas including the wars in Ukraine and Iran.

This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account below. After arriving in Beijing on Tuesday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Wednesday. Putin is visiting the Chinese capital just days after the landmark summit between Xi and US President Donald Trump, which marked a reset in bilateral ties and a new diplomatic framework called “constructive strategic stability”. This year...

China has rolled out the red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin for his 25th visit to the country, underscoring a frequency of head-of-state diplomacy that far outpaces Beijing’s engagement with Washington. Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday night for a two-day state visit, less than a week after US President Donald Trump wrapped up his own closely watched trip to China. This marks the first time China has hosted the leaders of Russia and the US in the same month outside a multilateral...

Xi, Putin to hold talks in Beijing days after Trump visit amid Iran war  Anadolu Ajansı

Watch What to Expect as Putin Arrives in China for Xi Talks  Bloomberg.com

Xi Welcomes Putin for China Talks  Bloomberg.com

Watch Xi Welcomes Putin for China Talks  Bloomberg.com

Watch Xi Greets Putin at Welcome Ceremony in Beijing  Bloomberg.com

The meeting will be their second contact this year

Vladimir Putin’s arrival was announced just a day after United States President Donald Trump left Beijing.

Xi, Putin to meet in Beijing for tea diplomacy after Trump visit  The Straits Times

Xi, Putin to meet in Beijing for tea diplomacy after Trump visit  Reuters

As Putin visits China, distrust simmers beneath an anti-U.S. alliance  The Washington Post

Putin Heads to China Days After Trump-Xi Summit  The Daily Star Lebanon

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing late on Tuesday for talks with his Chinese counterpart and "long-time good friend" Xi Jinping, intending to show their ties are unshakeable days after a visit by Donald Trump. FRANCE 24's Carys Garland reports.

Putin in China for talks days after Trump trip  Anadolu Ajansı

The Russian president's working schedule in China is quite extensive

Russia’s president is in Beijing for a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, only days after a visit by Donald Trump.

Russia’s president is in Beijing for a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, only days after a visit by Donald Trump. Follow DW for more.

Putin arrives in China for meeting with Xi  Al Arabiya English

Putin arrives in Beijing for state visit to China  Xinhua

Putin Arrives in China for Xi Talks With Gas Project on Agenda  Bloomberg.com

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday night for a visit aimed at deepening the two sides’ comprehensive partnership, four days after the Chinese capital hosted US President Donald Trump. This is the Russian leader’s 25th visit to China. More to follow …

Russia Conducts Massive Nuclear Drills as Putin Visits China  Bloomberg.com

Russian leader says relations between two countries have reached ‘unprecedented level’ on eve of 25th visit to China Vladimir Putin is due to arrive in Beijing on Tuesday for a state visit, four days after Donald Trump left China. Putin’s visit to China – his 25th, according to Chinese state media – reflects Beijing’s growing confidence on the world stage as a centre of global diplomatic activity. Continue reading...

Putin heads to Beijing after Trump-Xi meet, hails 'unprecedented' Russia-China ties: Why is the visit important  WION

Putin and Xi Are Friends But Far From Equals  Bloomberg.com

Scant progress in US-China talks bolsters Putin, while for China, hosting back-to-back visits is a diplomatic flex.

At a scheduled summit, the two leaders will discuss China-Russia cooperation and global and regional issues of mutual interest, the Chinese diplomat said

Since his official inauguration in 2013, Xi Jinping has met with Vladimir Putin more than 40 times

Putin meets with Xi to strengthen deeply unbalanced relations  Le Monde.fr

President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Russia’s relationship with China had reached “a truly unprecedented level”, pledging mutual support on core interests including sovereignty and national unity, just hours before arriving in Beijing. During his two-day trip, which will begin only days after US President Donald Trump left Beijing, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to discuss economic cooperation as well as “key international and regional issues”, according to the...

Putin says Russia-China friendship ‘not directed against anyone’ ahead of Beijing visit  Anadolu Ajansı

The Kremlin has said Putin and Xi plan to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries, but also "key international and regional issues."

Xi hosts Russian President Putin in Beijing days after Trump: What to know  The Straits Times

Few relationships among world leaders have been portrayed as personally as that between President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Xi, who rarely publicly reveals much about his personal life or emotions, once described Putin as his “best and most intimate friend”. Over the years, their rapport has been defined not only by summits and state visits, but also a growing catalogue of highly personal rituals involving food, birthday celebrations, sports events, boat rides and...

Xi and Putin to reaffirm ties and talk energy in Beijing after Trump visit  Nikkei Asia

Underpinning the two nuclear powers’ relations is China’s economic heft complemented by Russia’s vast oil production, likely at the forefront of talks this week

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Beijing on Tuesday for talks with his Chinese counterpart and his “long-time good friend” Xi Jinping, intending to show their ties are unshakeable days after a visit by Donald Trump. The confirmation of Putin’s trip came just hours after Trump wrapped up his visit on Friday, the first by a US president to China in nearly a decade and one aimed at stabilising their turbulent relations. Putin and Xi are set to discuss how to “further strengthen” Russia and China’s strategic partnership and “exchange views on key international and regional issues”, according to a Kremlin statement. Their ties have deepened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Putin visiting Beijing every year since. Setting warm tones for the visit, the two leaders exchanged “congratulatory letters” on Sunday to mark 30 years of their countries’ strategic partnership. Xi said cooperation between Russia and China had “continuously deepened and solidified”, according to Chinese state media. And in a video message to the Chinese people released on Tuesday, Putin said relations have reached “a truly unprecedented level” and that “trade between Russia and China continues to grow”. “The close strategic relationship between Russia and China plays a major, stabilising role globally. Without allying against anyone, we seek peace and universal prosperity,” Putin added, without mentioning any third country. The two leaders are also expected to sign a joint declaration after the talks. ‘Dear, old friends’ When Putin last visited Beijing in September 2025, Xi welcomed him with open arms as an “old friend” — language the Chinese leader did not extend to Trump last week. Putin, who in turn called Xi his “dear friend”, will be keen to show the world their relations are unaffected by Trump’s visit. While Putin’s visit is not expected to receive the same pomp as Trump’s, “the Xi-Putin relationship does not require that kind of performative reassurance”, said Patricia Kim from the Brookings Institution in Washington. Both sides view ties as “structurally stronger and more stable” than China-US ones, she added. While Beijing has regularly called for talks to end the war in Ukraine, now over four years long, it has never condemned Russia for sending in troops — presenting itself as a neutral party. Trump and Xi discussed Ukraine last week, but the US president left China without a breakthrough. “Xi will almost certainly brief Putin on his summit with Trump,” Kim said. The lack of clear outcomes from the Xi-Trump meeting though “likely reassures Moscow that Xi did not strike any understanding with Trump that would materially undercut Russian interests”. Appetite for oil Putin will be hoping for China to deepen its commitment to Moscow, after Trump told Fox News during his visit that Beijing had agreed to buy US oil to feed its “insatiable” appetite for energy. With Russia reliant on sales to China to sustain its war effort, “Putin does not want to lose that support”, Asia Society’s Lyle Morris told AFP. “Putin will likely be keen to hear from Xi about China’s next step in the Middle East,” added Morris, after “Trump signalled clearly that he hopes Beijing will play a leading role”. When it comes to the US-Israeli war on Iran though, China and Russia may have different priorities. “(China) relies on the freedom of the world’s major waterways to sustain its economic activities, and would prefer that the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz end sooner rather than later,” James Char of Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University told AFP. On the other hand, Moscow has “been benefitting economically from the fighting in Iran due to the relaxation of sanctions against Russian energy supplies, so may have a different view”. After meeting Xi in April, Russia’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov said Russia could “compensate” for China’s energy shortages as the war hits global supplies. “Expanded energy ties may feature prominently at the meeting (as) Beijing seeks more Russian energy,” said Joseph Webster from the Atlantic Council. “From Moscow’s perspective, shipping more oil east may be more attractive in the wake of Ukraine’s relentless campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure,” he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Tuesday for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, aiming to project unwavering ties between the two powers just days after Donald Trump’s high-profile visit sought to steady US-China relations.

Xi to host 'old friend' Putin as China projects stable global role after Trump visit  Reuters

Russia's Vladimir Putin is travelling to China for second meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in less than a year.

Putin visits China to reaffirm Russia ties as Xi also seeks stable US relations after Trump summit  The Washington Post

Putin visits China to reaffirm Russia ties as Xi also seeks stable US relations after Trump summit  AP News

Putin says Russia, China ready to back each other on issues such as protecting sovereignty  The Straits Times

The Russian president says that the two countries are ready to support each other on key issues, including the protection of sovereignty

Watch Asia Group's Lin on Putin’s China Visit, US-China Ties  Bloomberg.com

There is no link between the visits to China by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Yury Ushakov noted

Yury Ushakov emphasized the significance of this encounter

Yury Ushakov said that Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are set to discuss all the most important issues in a friendly and sincere manner

Yury Ushakov noted that Moscow usually agrees on a plan for negotiations with Beijing in advance

According to Yury Ushakov, intergovernmental, interdepartmental and commercial documents are all on the docket

Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that expectations from the Russian leader's upcoming visit to China are very serious