Russian President Vladimir Putin, proper, and Chinese language President Xi Jinping examine an honor guard throughout a welcoming ceremony on the Nice Corridor of the Individuals in Beijing Wednesday, Might 20, 2026.
Maxim Shemetov/Pool Reuters
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Maxim Shemetov/Pool Reuters
BEIJING — Chinese language chief Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday in a gathering meant to reaffirm ties and that takes place solely days after a go to by U.S. President Donald Trump to China.
Xi welcomed Putin with a ceremony on the Nice Corridor of the Individuals. The 2 delegations later held bilateral talks, to be adopted by a ceremony for signing cooperation agreements.
Putin’s go to comes simply days after Trump’s personal journey to Beijing – in a sequence that’s meant to cement Beijing’s picture as an influential superpower, specialists say.
“The message is clearly one that China maintains friendship and strategic partnership with whichever power it likes, and the USA is just one of them,” stated Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute on the College of London.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov stated earlier that there was “no connection” between Trump and Putin’s visits, noting the journey by the Russian chief was agreed a number of days after Putin and Xi spoke through videoconference on Feb. 4.
The Russian and Chinese language leaders are set to debate power and safety in addition to their total ties. The 2 sides agreed to increase a friendship treaty first signed in 2001, Chinese language state media reported.
Youngsters holding Russian and Chinese language flags stroll forward of a welcoming ceremony for Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Nice Corridor of the Individuals in Beijing, China Wednesday, Might 20, 2026.
Maxim Shemetov/Pool Reuters
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Maxim Shemetov/Pool Reuters
China turned Russia’s high buying and selling companion following after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Beijing has stated it’s impartial within the battle whereas sustaining commerce ties with the Kremlin regardless of financial and monetary sanctions by the U.S. and Europe.
China is the highest buyer for Russian oil and fuel provides, and Moscow expects the battle in Iran to extend the demand. China additionally has ignored calls for from the West to cease offering high-tech elements for Russia’s weapons industries.
Ushakov stated Russia’s oil exports to China grew by 35% within the first quarter of 2026 and that Russia is without doubt one of the largest exporters of pure fuel to China.
Throughout “the crisis in the Middle East,” Russia stays a dependable power provider and China is a “responsible consumer,” Ushakov stated.
Putin famous earlier this month that Moscow and Beijing have reached “a very substantial step forward in our cooperation in the oil and gas sector.”
“Practically all the key issues have been agreed upon,” he stated. “If we succeed in finalizing these details and bringing them to a conclusion during this visit, I will be extremely pleased.”
Putin additionally praised their bilateral relationship as a vital, balancing drive in worldwide relations.
“Interaction between such nations as China and Russia undoubtedly serves as a factor of deterrence and stability,” he stated.
Moscow welcomes China’s dialogue with the U.S. as one other stabilizing aspect for the worldwide financial system, Putin added.
“We stand only to benefit from this, from the stability and constructive engagement between the U.S. and China,” he stated.
