Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday evening to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, seeking to underscore their unshakeable alliance following U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to the Asian superpower last week.
Strategic Partnership on Display
Putin's visit comes amid heightened global tensions, with the United States under Trump becoming increasingly unpredictable. Xi has hosted a series of world leaders as many nations seek to shore up alliances with Beijing. The war in Iran has further accelerated this trend.
Russia-China ties have deepened since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Putin has visited Beijing every year since, as Western powers isolate Russia diplomatically and impose sanctions that squeeze Russian energy revenues.
Energy Cooperation and Pipeline Talks
One key topic on the agenda is the construction of the "Power of Siberia 2" natural gas pipeline from Russia to China through Mongolia. This land-based alternative to crude imported by sea from the Middle East is crucial as Washington's war in Iran disrupts global energy supplies.
Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov said after meeting Xi in April that Russia could "compensate" for China's energy shortages as the Middle East war hits global supplies. Moscow is already heavily dependent economically on Beijing, the main buyer of sanctioned Russian oil.
Putin's Message to China
In a video message released hours before his arrival, Putin said relations between Russia and China have reached "a truly unprecedented level" and that "trade between Russia and China continues to grow." He added, "The close strategic relationship between Russia and China plays a major, stabilizing role globally. Without allying against anyone, we seek peace and universal prosperity."
Putin's remarks were seen as a veiled reference to the United States.
Ceremony and Talks
Putin will be received with ceremony on Wednesday, followed by a series of talks concluding with the signing of a joint statement on cooperation. Unlike Trump's elaborate welcome last week, Putin's visit is expected to be held in a more intimate setting.
According to the Kremlin, the visit promises to display the close friendship between the Russian and Chinese leaders, who will discuss strengthening their strategic partnership.
