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After arriving in Beijing on Tuesday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Wednesday.
Putin’s visit came just days after the landmark summit between Xi and US President Donald Trump, which marked a reset in bilateral ties and introduced a new diplomatic framework called “constructive strategic stability”.
This year also marks the 30th anniversary of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia, and 25 years since the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was set up – a security grouping backed by Beijing and Moscow.
Key Takeaways
Strategic partnership deepens
Leaders described bilateral ties as being at an “unprecedented high” and the “most comprehensive strategic partnership” to date. The 2001 friendship treaty was extended, alongside a joint call for a “multipolar world” and “new international relations”. Both sides rejected “unilateral bullying” and “hegemony”, criticising US policies, including Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defence system.
Dozens of agreements signed
The visit produced roughly 40 deals spanning trade, technology, intellectual property, energy, media, automobiles and civilian nuclear cooperation. Energy remained central, with commitments to stable Russian oil and gas supplies to China.
Energy cooperation advances, but no major pipeline deal
No final agreement was reached on the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, though both sides reported a “basic understanding” on route planning and broader cooperation. Russia continues pivoting energy exports towards Asia, while China prioritises long-term energy security.
Geopolitical alignment
Talks covered Ukraine, the Middle East and global governance. China urged de-escalation and negotiations, Russia praised China’s “objective and unbiased” position. Both leaders framed their partnership as a stabilising global force and emphasised coordination through the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and Brics.
Since December, China has hosted state visits from all the other permanent members of the UN Security Council, including France and Britain.
Reporting by Victoria Bela, Vanessa Cai, Cao Jiaxuan, Alyssa Chen, Fan Chen, Meredith Chen, Orange Wang, Albee Zhang, Laura Zhou and Khushboo Razdan
More from our coverage:
- Vodka, bullet train and boat rides: how Xi and Putin built up a personal rapport
- Putin is pushing for a ‘serious’ new energy deal in China. Will he get it?
- China and Russia hold trade expo as Putin and Trump visits draw global attention


China-Russia: energy ties

Xi-Putin summit is no less important than Xi-Trump talks

China and Russia unite on world order, but Putin departs without concrete gains

Russia, US increasingly see China as an anchor for peace and prosperity

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. Photo: Pool via AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: Pool Photo via AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping inspect an honour guard during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

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China

Diplomacy

Russian president has travelled to the Chinese capital just days after US leader Donald Trump’s visit


Russian president has travelled to the Chinese capital just days after US leader Donald Trump’s visit.


Vladimir Putin

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Donald Trump

US-Israel war on Iran

Ukraine war

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Putin has made more than 20 trips to China since 2000.






Putin’s long history with China

Just hours before arriving in Beijing on Tuesday, Putin said Russia’s relationship with China had reached “a truly unprecedented level”, pledging mutual support on core interests, including sovereignty and national unity.




‘Lasting friendship’

Moscow says trade between Russia and China is almost entirely denominated in rubles and yuan.
Both nations are trying to boost the use of their currencies and cut reliance on the US dollar.
According to Moscow, energy supplies from Russia are the driving force behind trade with China, especially given the crisis in the Middle East, with oil supplies to China up by 35 per cent in the first quarter.



Trade ties

Chinese social media lit up on Sunday after at least five Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft were spotted landing in Beijing.
The arrivals follow an advance team that touched down on May 13 aboard an Il-96 – coinciding almost exactly with Trump’s arrival in China last week.
Beijing is at the centre of global diplomacy this month, hosting successive American and Russian delegations.



Russian military planes

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV says Xi will hold a welcome ceremony for Putin outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
CCTV footage shows red carpet laid out at the venue ahead of the Russian leader’s arrival. Honour guards and a military band are in position, while children holding flowers and the national flags of China and Russia are also ready for the ceremony.
The broadcaster also released a short video showing the venue where Xi and Putin will hold a smaller meeting. The Fujian Hall of the Great Hall of the People is distinctive for the large painting displayed in the room.



Red carpet rolled out

Putin’s visit to Beijing, just four days after Trump departed, has drawn attention for what it may signal about the trajectory of relations among China, the US and Russia.
The strategic triangle between the three powers is regarded as one of the most decisive dynamics shaping the currently fast-moving world order.
As a major feature of the triangle, Beijing and Moscow have continued to strengthen ties as both face growing geopolitical pressure from Washington, despite recurring speculation that mounting challenges could test their solidarity.
In contrast to Trump, who often unilaterally touts his personal rapport with Xi and Putin, the Chinese and Russian leaders have mutually reaffirmed their friendship. Russia is Xi’s most frequently visited foreign country, while China ranks among Putin’s top three destinations for overseas trips.
The two leaders have established a pattern of annual reciprocal visits.
Beijing and Moscow describe bilateral ties as being at their historical best. They have also built extensive institutional mechanisms covering regular prime ministerial meetings, parliamentary exchanges and cooperation in energy, investment, trade, culture, regional affairs, strategic security and law enforcement.
By contrast, many communication channels between Beijing and Washington – once numbering more than 100 – have been frozen since Trump’s first term. Notably, military hotlines between the two powers are repeatedly suspended and restored as bilateral tensions linger.
Some argue that the consensus between China and the US to build a “constructive strategic stability” may affect Moscow’s leverage and influence towards Beijing and Washington.
Meanwhile, Russia is increasingly viewed as the junior partner in its relationship with China due to its growing wartime economic dependence on Beijing since invading Ukraine four years ago.


China has already departed from characterising ties with Russia as “no limits”, instead phrasing the bilateral relations as “on the basis of non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party”.
Shortly after Trump returned to the White House for his second presidential term last year, reports suggested he envisioned a world in which Washington, Beijing and Moscow each dominate their own sphere of influence.
There was also recurring speculation that his administration could pursue a “reverse Kissinger” strategy aimed at improving ties with Russia to counterbalance China.
However, Chinese scholars expect that neither China nor Russia appears willing to fundamentally alter its policy towards the other because of complementary strategic interests: Moscow needs China’s economic support to sustain domestic stability, while Beijing values Russia’s political backing in dealing with the US.


China-US-Russia dynamic

Putin will discuss the issue of Power of Siberia 2 in detail with Xi in Beijing, the Kremlin leader’s adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Monday.
The proposed project, under discussion for nearly two decades, could deliver an additional 50 billion cubic metres of gas a year from Russia’s Arctic and Siberian fields to China via Mongolia, a scale comparable to the designed 55 billion cubic metres annual capacity of the damaged Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
As early as 2006, Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation included Power of Siberia 2 in a framework agreement, then known as the Altai gas pipeline.
It has gained little traction since. But the long-delayed project’s geopolitical significance has grown increasingly pronounced during recent years following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the US-Israel war on Iran.


Russia used to be able to charge far higher prices for its gas in Europe than in China, which was seen as reducing the country’s incentive to prioritise Chinese demand. There were also reports that Mongolia sought hefty construction and transit fees.
But after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and European Union countries began curtailing imports of Russian gas, the Kremlin appeared eager to secure new exports to offset the economic blow, putting growing focus on Power of Siberia 2.
Still, Beijing – which is placing greater emphasis on energy self-reliance and diversified oil and gas imports – has shown no rush, with price and route choices seeming major sticking points in talks with the Russian side.
Meanwhile, the recent conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis have been viewed as giving Russia an opening to persuade China to move ahead with the pipeline.
Gazprom chief Alexey Miller reportedly said in September that a legally binding memorandum on Power of Siberia 2 had been signed, noting the agreement was set for 30 years and the supply price would be lower than that for Europe. That came after a trilateral meeting of Putin, Xi and Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh in Beijing.
Power of Siberia, also known as the China-Russia East-Route Natural Gas Pipeline, has been operating since 2019.
Gazprom said it supplied China with 38.8 billion cubic metres of gas through the route last year, for the first time surpassing the state-owned energy giant’s annual pipeline gas exports to Europe.
Zheng Shanjie, head of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s top economic planning agency, highlighted “continuously expanding China-Russia oil and gas cooperation” as part of Beijing’s efforts to strengthen economic resilience.



Power of Siberia 2 project

Putin arrives at the East Square of the Great Hall of the People, where he is set to attend a formal welcome ceremony hosted by Xi, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.




Putin arrives at East Square

Accompanying Putin to China is a big delegation of high-level government officials and the leaders of major energy giants, including Igor Sechin, Alexey Miller and Leonid Mikhelson – all CEOs of Russia’s top energy corporations.



Russia brings oil execs

Putin walks towards the steps outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People and shakes hands with Xi.



Leaders meet

Putin is in China to reinforce the Sino-Russian “comprehensive strategic partnership”, just days after a tentative US-China reset.
The two trips are expected to be quite different. While Trump’s trip was awash with ceremonial pomp, Putin’s visit is expected to focus on aligning the two countries’ positions on geopolitical developments.




Comparing world leaders’ visits

A 21-gun salute is fired at Tiananmen Square during the welcome ceremony for Putin, who later passes the honour guard and cheering children on his way to bilateral talks.
The schoolchildren sing “welcome, welcome, warm welcome” (huanying huanying, relie huanying). Putin waves back at the children.
The military band plays “Moscow Nights”, a world-famous Soviet patriotic song, during Putin’s welcome ceremony.
It is identical to the ceremony held for Trump last week, with one exception: Vice-President Han Zheng received Trump at the airport, whereas Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcomed Putin. The slight difference in protocol signals the deep mutual trust already established between Moscow and Beijing.



21-gun salute

Putin and Xi talk while walking up to the stairs before they hold small-group discussions in the Great Hall of the People after the welcome ceremony.



Putin and Xi chat

Putin and Xi begin talks in Fujian Hall at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Also taking part on the Russian side are Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, first deputy prime minister Denis Manturov, deputy prime minister Tatyana Golikova and other political figures.



Talks begin

Xi says years of China-Russia friendship have brought the two nations closer.
He says they should promote the development and revitalisation of both countries through higher-quality comprehensive strategic cooperation, according to CCTV.
Xi calls Putin a “dear friend” and says Russia and China are developing bilateral relations based on mutual benefit and respect.
He tells the Russian leader: “You and I have felt a close relationship together determining the deep and fruitful relationship between China and Russia.”
The Chinese president also says that as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major powers, China and Russia must take a long-term strategic view and work to build a more just and equitable global governance system.


Xi calls Putin a ‘dear friend’

In Putin’s opening remarks, the Russian leader quotes a Chinese proverb in his opening remarks: “We haven’t seen each other for a day, but it feels like three autumns have passed.”
Putin says he is “very happy” to see Xi and to “align our positions once again”, lauding the China-Russia relationship as being at an “unprecedentedly high level”.
The Russian leader says that even against the backdrop of “unfavourable external factors”, interaction between Russia and China is “demonstrating strong, high momentum”.
“Trade turnover has grown more than 30-fold over the past quarter-century. For several years in a row, it has confidently exceeded the US$200 billion mark.”


Putin says Russia and China defend cultural and civilisational diversity, along with respect for sovereign development of states.
“We stand for respect for sovereign development of states and we aspire to build a more just democratic world order,” he says.
He says Russia and China will continue their visa-free regime.
On energy, Putin says: “Amid the crisis in the Middle East, Russia continues to retain its role as a reliable supplier of resources, and China as a responsible consumer of these resources.”
He invites Xi to visit Russia next year.


‘Reliable’ energy supplier

Putin says China-Russia cooperation is a key pillar of stability in the international arena during a complex process of forming the world into one “based on the interest of bullets”.
He says the close communication and cooperation with China on various multilateral platforms – including Brics, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and G20 – is especially relevant given the world’s tense situation.
“The complex process of forming a multipolar world based on a balance of interests among all its participants is under way.”
Putin praises the SCO as a great example of jointly solving problems and integration in the vast region.
He offers “whole support” to China’s chairmanship of Apec and says he will attend the gathering in Shenzhen this year.



‘The interest of bullets’

The two presidents agree to extend the Treaty of Good Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation between China and Russia, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Xi says the treaty, signed 25 years ago, established a foundation for long-term friendship and comprehensive strategic coordination.
He says the international landscape has undergone significant changes and warns of the risk of regression to “jungle law” in global affairs.
Against this backdrop, Xi says the treaty’s forward-looking nature, scientific basis and contemporary relevance have become increasingly evident.
He says China supports the extension of the treaty and will work with Russia to uphold its principles and firmly advance “back-to-back” strategic coordination between the two countries.



Treaty extended

Alexey Likhachev, chief of Rosatom, says the Russian state-owned nuclear corporation will sign three memorandums of understanding with Chinese partners during Putin’s visit.
He says Rosatom will sign a cooperation agreement with China’s Ministry of Science and Technology in the field of thermonuclear research, according to Russian news agency Sputnik on Tuesday.
The three agreements will also include a memorandum on training nuclear energy specialists.



Nuclear energy agreements

As Xi and Putin hold talks, China’s Ministry of Commerce releases a statement with the outcomes of last week’s summit between the Chinese leader and Trump.
It includes confirmation that China will purchase 200 Boeing aircraft.
The statement also says both sides agreed in principle to discuss a reciprocal tariff reduction framework covering equivalent products – valued at US$30 billion or more for each side – to help expand two-way trade in areas including agricultural goods.



Xi-Trump outcomes

During the talks with Putin, Xi says the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region is at a critical juncture between war and peace, according to state news agency Xinhua.
He says an immediate cessation of hostilities is urgently needed and that continued negotiations are important.
An early end to the fighting will help reduce disruptions to energy supply stability and help the smooth functioning of industrial and supply chains as well as the international trade order, the Chinese president says.
And he says his four-point proposal on maintaining and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East is intended to further build international consensus and contribute to de-escalation and the cessation of hostilities.
That proposal – put forward during a meeting with the United Arab Emirates – stresses the need to adhere to the principles of peaceful coexistence, national sovereignty and the international rule of law, as well as a commitment to coordinating development and security.


Middle East conflict

Chinese officials shake hands with Putin in the welcome ceremony:

Cai Qi, member of the Politburo Standing Committee


Ding Xuexiang, vice-premier of the State Council


Wang Yi, foreign minister


Zhang Guoqing, vice-premier of the State Council;


Shen Yiqin, state councillor and president of the All-China Women’s Federation


Zheng Shanjie, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission


Huai Jinpeng, education minister


Li Lecheng, industry and information technology minister


Lan Foan, finance minister


Liu Wei, transport minister


Wang Wentao, commerce minister


Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People’s Bank of China


Zhang Hanhui, Chinese ambassador to Russia


Wang Hongzhi, administrator of the National Energy Administration


Liu Bin, assistant minister of foreign affairs




Who’s who on China side

In addition to Putin, represented at the Russia-China talks in the restricted format from the Russian side are:

Sergey Lavrov, foreign minister


Denis Manturov, first deputy prime minister


Deputy prime ministers Tatyana Golikova, Alexander Novak, Yuri Trutnev and Dmitry Chernyshenko


Maxim Oreshkin, deputy chief of staff of the Presidential Executive Office


Yuri Ushakov, presidential aide


Igor Morgulov, Russian ambassador to China


Anton Siluanov, finance minister


Elvira Nabiullina, head of the Central Bank


Dmitry Shugaev, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation


Igor Sechin, head of Rosneft


Alexey Miller, head of Gazprom


Gennady Timchenko, owner of Volga Group and chairman of the Russian-Chinese Business Council


Vasily Osmakov, deputy defence minister

Source: Tass




Who’s who on Russia side

A live broadcast of a smaller-format meetings shows Chinese participants including top diplomat Wang Yi, Cai Qi, vice-premiers Zhang Guoqing, Ding Xuexiang and He Lifeng, Shen Yiqin, Wang Wentao and ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui.
On the Russian side are Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Denis Manturov, first deputy prime minister, and deputy prime ministers Alexander Novak, Tatyana Golikova and Dmitry Chernyshenko, Anton Siluanov and Maxim Oreshkin.


Smaller-format meeting

These are the main takeaways from the talks between Xi and Putin on Wednesday morning.


Jungle law and a polycentric world

When asked about a potential China-Russia joint expedition to the moon between Russia and China, Dmitry Bakanov, CEO of the Roscosmos state corporation, tells Russia’s Izvestia outlet, “it’s possible, but there hasn’t been any discussion about this yet”.
Bakanov notes in the interview that a Russian lunar dust sensor for studying the surface and soil will be installed on a Chinese spacecraft.
Furthermore, Brics partners are exchanging space images and data with their Chinese and Indian partners to address technological challenges.



Joint moon mission ‘possible’

The Chinese and Russian presidents, flanked by their officials, begin their large-scale meeting.
Xi opens the expanded format by saying China-Russian relations have entered a new stage of more proactive and faster development.
He says China and Russia should take the historic opportunity to expand the foundation of trust between the two countries. Xi says the two countries will work together to enhance the quality of bilateral cooperation and and broaden the path of friendship.



Large-scale meeting begins

Putin thanks China for the “warm reception” and hospitality, and says “friendly” discussions have just been held in a restricted format.
The Russian leader says that during the following talks in a more open format, co-chairs of five intergovernmental organisations will speak.
He says the “encompassing partnership” between China and Russia in the new era follows the principles of equal rights and friendship. And the goal of relations between Moscow and Beijing is the well-being and prosperity of both peoples.
The relationship between Moscow and Beijing has gone through “many trials”, according to Putin.
He says in the 25 years since they signed the friendship treaty, cooperation has “expanded greatly” and they will continue to develop that, work together on international platforms, and create a good foundation for joint work.




‘Friendly’ discussions

Xi and Putin will attend an agreement signing ceremony, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
There, Xi and Putin are expected to sign a joint statement on further strengthening the comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction, Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters earlier this week.
Ushakov describes the document as “quite extensive” with 47 pages, Tass says.
“It defines the main development paths for our entire range of multifaceted bilateral ties, a clear shared vision of pressing issues on the international agenda, and the main formats for interaction in global affairs.”


Signing ceremony

China and Russia aim to establish a joint permanent research base at the south pole of the moon by 2035, called the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).
The nations signed a deal in May last year to build a power plant on the moon that would supply the research station with energy. They want the power plant – which is expected to use a nuclear reactor – up and running by 2036.


The robotic Chinese lunar exploration mission known as Chang’e 7 will search for evidence of lunar water ice, which could help to provide resources for future moon missions and also the ILRS. It is expected to be launched later this year
Chang’e 7 will carry scientific instruments developed by six countries, including one to study the moon’s dust and plasma developed by the Russian Academy of Sciences, according to the China National Space Administration.
Russian payload is also expected to be on board the Chang’e 8 mission, which is expected to be launched in 2029, with the crew to conduct experiments near the lunar south pole to support the construction of the ILRS.



China and Russia on the moon

According to a report by Kremlin correspondent Alexander Yunashev, who is in Beijing for Putin’s visit, Putin’s adviser Kirill Dmitriev says Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Russia “soon”.
In an interview with Izvestia, Russian presidential policy advisor Yuri Ushakov says Witkoff, along with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, has repeatedly stated his intention to visit Moscow. Their visit has also been discussed during contact with the American side, but the dates remain unknown.


Witkoff to visit Russia: Moscow

Xi and Putin will jointly meet the press following their talks at the Great Hall of the People, according to CCTV.


Leaders to meet the press

In science and technology, China and Russia have gone from working together on basic and applied research to projects in the fields of aerospace, artificial intelligence and quantum communication.
They have also stepped up research cooperation in agriculture, environmental protection, aerospace, nuclear energy, satellite navigation, information and communication technology, and healthcare.
Scientific and research cooperation deals signed in the last few years include an agreement on fundamental research between Russia’s Joint Institute for Nuclear Research and China’s science and technology ministry.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and his Chinese counterpart Premier Li Qiang signed an agreement on satellite navigation cooperation in November during a meeting in Hangzhou, according to The Moscow Times.
The two countries have also signed agreements to coordinate Russia’s high-altitude satellite navigation system GLONASS with China’s BeiDou.


Research cooperation

Kirill Dmitriev, an adviser to Putin, visited Tsinghua University in Beijing on Tuesday.
Dmitriev writes on social media that the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which he heads, together with its Chinese partners, has invested in over 50 joint projects.
“Russia and China have already established strong cooperation in investment, technology, infrastructure, and energy,” he says. “It is equally important to strengthen the human and cultural ties between our countries.”
He writes that the fund has agreed with the China Architecture Design & Research Group to cooperate on infrastructure and investment projects in both countries.
Dmitriev also says the fund has launched joint initiatives with the China-SCO demonstration zone and the Russian-Chinese Guild of Commerce to promote investment projects across Shanghai Cooperation Organisation countries and support companies entering the Russian and Chinese markets.
He says the fund partners with the Wenchang International Aerospace City administration and the China Construction Eighth Engineering Division to boost cooperation on civilian space infrastructure.

Both civilian space and hi-tech infrastructure will be jointly developed under the agreement, including a cosmodrome, industry, and testing facilities. They will also develop commercial space parks and infrastructure for space tourism, as well as educational centres with the aim of popularising space. Through this partnership, the Russian fund expects to attract both Russian and international funding for projects, according to Tass.
In an interview with the Russian press published on Tuesday, Dmitriev says Russia can provide one of the cheapest energy systems to develop artificial intelligence. “Therefore, we are actively discussing projects in AI, logistics and infrastructure with our Chinese partners,” he says.
He also notes that the intergovernmental commission on investment between Russia and China includes more than 90 projects worth over 18 trillion rubles (US$140.5 billion).
In an interview with Russian broadcaster VGTRK, Dmitriev says Russia is considering the possibility of joint projects with US investors within the framework of its partnership with China.
“As part of RDIF, we are also looking at a number of projects involving both China and the United States. We believe that within the framework of partnership with China, a number of projects could also involve American investors.”
Separately on Tuesday, Russia’s Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova met Shen Haixiong, president of China Media Group.
According to a Russian government statement: “One of the key steps of the Russia-China Years of Culture was the signing of an interdepartmental action plan for joint film production until 2030.”


Joint projects

Chinese media is highlighting an apparent deep trust between Putin and China.
On the social media platform Weibo, the hashtag “Feeling right at home, Putin took off his coat” is trending, after the Russian leader casually removed his coat before entering his vehicle at the airport on Tuesday night.
China News Service has zoomed in on this detail in a post, explaining that in Russian cultural tradition, people typically remove their coats upon entering an indoor space or when they feel relaxed and comfortable in their environment.
“In accordance with Russian cultural traditions, individuals typically take off their coats when transitioning indoors or into a more casual setting,” the semi-official outlet wrote on social media.
The gesture, Chinese media suggests, signals Putin’s ease and familiarity with Beijing – a subtle and telling moment that underscores the depth of Sino-Russian relations.



‘Putin feeling right at home’

According to Izvestia, Russian Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin expects a key outcome from the summit will be the signing of an agreement to expand the railway border crossing linking Zabaikalsk in Russia and Manzhouli in China.
He describes the project as a “major, serious step forward” in developing freight traffic between Russia and China.


Railway crossing

During the talks, Xi says China-Russia ties have entered a “more dynamic and faster-developing new stage”, according to state-run People’s Daily.
Xi says despite a turbulent and complex international landscape, the two countries have advanced their comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era on the basis of equality, mutual respect, trust and win-win cooperation.
He also says political mutual trust has deepened, while cooperation on trade, investment, energy, technology, people-to-people exchanges and subnational links has continued to expand, strengthening public support for bilateral ties.



More ‘dynamic’ ties

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov says there is “no point in comparing” the diplomatic protocols in the ceremonies of Putin and Trump’s visits to Beijing, according to Tass on Wednesday.
The main value lies in the content of the contact not the ceremonial trappings, Peskov says.



‘No point in comparing’ visits

Relations between Moscow and Beijing are “not a patchwork quilt sewn from pieces fitted together,” they are developing “strategically stably”, Russian foreign ministry official Maria Zakharova, according to Tass.
“Our relations with China are developing not simply stably, they are developing strategically stably. That is, these relations are not a patchwork quilt sewn from pieces fitted together to one another, which happen to be at hand and are advantageous or are simply available at the moment of cutting and sewing,” she says.
“These relations are planned, constructed, and developed,” the diplomat was quoted as saying on Russian state media.



Ties are no patchwork quilt: diplomat

Late on Tuesday, Trump denies media reports saying Xi suggested to him that Russian leader Vladimir Putin might “regret” launching the invasion of Ukraine.
Citing sources, the Financial Times reports on Tuesday that Xi made this comment during extensive talks when Trump visited China last week. The US president tells reporters that “he never said that”.
Trump says earlier he discussed the war in Ukraine with Xi, and that both leaders want an end to the fighting.
On Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a daily press conference that the reports are “apparently made up without any factual basis”.



Trump and China deny report

China and Russia have more than 80,000 students studying in each other’s countries, according to state‑run media outlet the People’s Daily.
In December, Russia’s ambassador to China Igor Morgulov said the two sides were close to reaching the 100,000‑person bilateral academic mobility target set in the Russia-China Roadmap for Humanitarian Cooperation until 2030.
He told a forum at Renmin University of China in Beijing that the goal is likely to be achieved ahead of schedule.
Putin’s visit coincides with the formal launch of China–Russia Years of Education (2026–2027), an initiative announced by Xi and Putin in their New Year greetings.



80,000 students on exchange

This year marks the launch of the China-Russia Education Year, as both nations seek to deepen ties between their younger generations.
According to a recent survey by Renmin University of China, 78 per cent of Russian youth and 76.4 per cent of Chinese youth hold a positive view of each other’s country, while 77.7 per cent and 73.7 per cent respectively express optimism regarding the prospects of China-Russia cooperation.
Furthermore, 75 per cent of Chinese respondents expressed an interest in learning the Russian language, while 52 per cent of Russian respondents shared a similar interest in learning Chinese.
An overwhelming majority of those surveyed – 89 per cent from Russia and 86 per cent from China – expressed a strong willingness to visit the neighbouring country.
The online survey was conducted between late April and early May, targeting young adults aged 18 to 35.
Meantime, Russia is ready to resume student exchanges with the United States, according to Izvestia, citing the Ministry of Education and Science.


Student optimism

Russia renews its criticism of Japan’s shift away from pacifism, with Moscow stating that Tokyo appears to be forgetting “the lessons of history”.
In an interview with Tass published on Wednesday, Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov says Japan is increasingly departing from its three non-nuclear principles – a policy established after World War II prohibiting it from possessing, producing or allowing nuclear weapons on its territory.
“Japan appears to have begun to forget the lessons of history, with discussions about moving away from the ‘three non-nuclear principles’ intensifying,” Ryabkov says.
The Russian criticism mirrors Beijing’s fierce opposition to Tokyo’s security policy shifts, including its recent decision to abandon a ban on exporting lethal weapons.



Russia criticises Japan shift

Russia’s Far East region is drafting targeted measures to boost tourism from China, Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov tells Izvestia in Beijing.
While cross-border travel between the two countries has been growing, border regulations for personal vehicles have not yet been sorted out, he says.
“We are working on specific measures for Far East tourism because we also need to widen the roads so buses can run smoothly. This mostly involves two spots in Vladivostok where new checkpoints are being set up, including an upcoming cable car. It’s crucial for us to promote these options as real tourism, rather than just quick day trips.”



Boost for Far East tourism

Xi concludes the wide‑ranging meeting with Putin at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
The expanded format of talks between China and Russia has taken longer than expected as the the two sides engage over a wide range of topics before the two leaders meet the press and witness the signing of a series of documents.



Xi-Putin meeting ends

The summits between Xi and Putin routinely conclude with a joint statement, illustrating a high level of policy coordination.
Since 2013, the two leaders have signed at least 13 joint documents during their bilateral visits, according to a tally by SCMP.
During Putin’s 2024 visit to China, a long statement ran to more than 12,000 characters in Chinese, covering a broad range of issues including trade, energy, technology, military ties and cultural exchanges.


Joint statement explained

Senior Russian officials, including Foreign Minster Sergey Lavrov, have entered the room for the signing ceremony.
The signing ceremony for joint documents following the Russian-Chinese talks will begin soon. The documents for Xi and Putin to sign are ready in the venue. Russian press has published the photos of the folders containing those files.


Signing ceremony imminent

The agreement-signing ceremony and subsequent press conference between Xi and Putin is beginning in Beijing, according to CCTV.
Twenty-one documents are set to be signed in the presence of the two leaders.
The two countries will sign a joint statement on further strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership and the joint declaration on the establishment of a multipolar world and a new type of international relations.



Signing ceremony and press conference

Xi and Putin sign a joint statement on further strengthening comprehensive strategic coordination and deepening good-neighbourly friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
They sign a document elevating their strategic ties and will witness the signing of 20 documents between the two governments.
Russia tops the hierarchy of China’s diplomatic partnerships. China defines its relationship with Russia as a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for a New Era”. It is characterised by “cooperation on all issues, including international affairs, military and technological development”.
Beijing established a “partnership of strategic coordination” with Russia in 1996, with the elevation of ties in 2011 and 2019 following bilateral summits.
The elevated ties in 2019 came during Xi’s three-day visit to Russia to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.



Xi and Putin move to strengthen ties

The 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, according to international relations expert and former diplomat Cui Hongjian.
He says this could be put to the test at the Apec leaders’ meeting in Shenzhen in November.


Trilateral coordination?

Speaking to reporters, Xi describes the summit with Putin as “in-depth, friendly and fruitful talks” and says they engaged in “strategic communication” on a range of major issues.
Xi notes that it is Putin’s 25th visit to China, underscoring the “high-level and special nature” of China-Russia relations.
He also says China’s relationship with Russia has reached the highest level in its history: a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, “setting a model” for a new type of relationship between major countries.

Xi says this year marks the 30th anniversary of the China-Russia strategic cooperative partnership, and “over the past three decades the relationship has withstood the elements and evolved with the times”.
He says the two countries have consistently adhered to the principle established by this treaty of “non-alliance, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of any third party”. And he says they have made important contributions to safeguarding international fairness and justice and to building a new type of international relations.
“China and Russia have become a key stabilising force in a world undergoing profound changes unseen in a century,” he says.
The Chinese leader points to political mutual trust as the most distinctive feature of the relationship and says it is a priority to get this to a higher level.


‘Fruitful talks’

The signing ceremony ends and Xi and Putin will issue statements.
The documents signed include agreements in trade and technology cooperation, energy, innovation, media and news cooperation and intellectual protection cooperation. While they reached some 20 other agreements, not all were signed in the room.
The two countries will also issue a joint statement on advocating for a multipolar world and a new type of international relations between the China and Russia, it is announced.



Signing ceremony ends

Xi says the two sides must build on past achievements and further strengthen mutual support on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns.
“We must maintain close strategic communication and exchanges at all levels, continuously consolidating the foundation of political mutual trust,” he adds.
He states that the two countries should promote higher quality mutually beneficial cooperation, better leveraging the role of energy.
Xi says under the current complex external environment, trade between the two countries grew nearly 20 per cent in the first four months of this year, which he described as “no easy achievement”.
Xi pledged to further enhance support on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns, continuously strengthen strategic communication and exchanges at all levels, and steadily consolidate foundation of political mutual trust.



‘Core interests, major concerns’

The Chinese president also points to a 20 per cent increase in bilateral trade with Russia in the first four months.
And he notes that bilateral trade exceeded US$200 billion in the past three years. He says trade volume expanded by nearly 20 per cent in the first four months, calling it a “truly hard-won achievement”.
Xi says energy and connectivity are the “ballast stone” in bilateral cooperation.
And he calls for cooperation on the digital economy, artificial intelligence and technological innovation to be ramped up.



Expanding trade

Xi says the world today is far from peaceful, with unilateralism and hegemony posing serious threats, bringing the international order dangerously close to returning to a “law of the jungle”-style scramble for power and dominance.
Xi says China and Russia should advance their international coordination as the world is not peaceful, warning of “unilateral bully” and “the law of jungle”.
The Chinese president says China and Russia must firmly shoulder the responsibilities of major countries, uphold the authority of the United Nations and international fairness and justice, and oppose all forms of unilateral bullying and attempts to turn history backward.
He adds that this includes opposing any moves that deny the outcomes of World War II or seek to rehabilitate fascism and militarism.



‘Law of the jungle’

Putin says the bilateral relationship is at an unprecedented level. He thanks China again for the “warm hospitality” and praises the “all-encompassing partnership” and “strategic interaction” between the two countries.
He says the relationship is “self-sufficient” and does not “depend on the current situation” and serves as an example for the world.
The Russian leader says they have reviewed all aspects of the bilateral relationship and signed a large number of intergovernmental documents.
He says Russia and China are actively cooperating in the energy sector, and that Russia “is one of the largest exporters of oil, natural gas, including liquefied gas, and coal to China”.
“We are, of course, ready to continue to reliably ensure uninterrupted supplies of all these fuels to the rapidly growing Chinese market.”
Putin also says hi-tech enterprises have contributed a lot to the trade turnover, noting that practically all Russian-Chinese settlements are now being done in rubles and yuan.
“We have built a stable system of mutual trade that is fully protected from external influence and negative trends in global markets,” he says.
He says that in 2025, trade turnover reached almost US$240 billion, and its structure expanded “including through high-value-added goods”.
China and Russia are also talking about cooperation on the critical elements and metals required for wide production of green technologies, Putin says
He says Russia’s Rosatom has been working in China on building reactors, and there is “great potential” in renewable energy.
Putin also says there is expanding cooperation in industries like pharmaceuticals, aerospace, space exploration and other scientific fields.
He says mutual tourism between the two countries is growing steadily, thanks to the mutual visa‑free policies introduced in late 2025. He says in 2025 more than 2 million Russians visited China and over 1 million Chinese visited Russia.
Putin says trade between Russia and China is protected from external influence and negative trends in the global markets.
And he says one of the biggest aspects of collaboration between the two countries is the “humanitarian components”.
He says they are working together “in the name of peace” and prosperity, and that Moscow and Beijing are working together in favour of international legislation.
Putin says they defend the UN treaty, and interact within the SCO, Brics and other international organisations.
The Russian leader concludes that they will coordinate positions in multilateral formats, and form “one big Eurasian partnership”.
He says he would like to thank “his friend” Xi and Chinese colleagues for their hospitality. Putin says they will “further strengthen the Russian-Chinese friendship” and contribute to the well-being and prosperity of both nations.



Putin calls ties ‘self-sufficient’

Press conference over

Minutes after Xi and Putin wrap up their joint agreement signing ceremony and press conference, the Chinese foreign ministry confirms Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will pay a state visit to China from Sunday to Thursday.
“At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will pay a state visit to China from May 24 to 28,” the ministry’s spokesperson says in a statement on Wednesday.

Vucic previously said he would travel to Beijing for a state visit shortly after Putin’s trip, describing it as an “honour” to follow visits by major world leaders to China.
His announcement – made in a national address on May 16 – underscores Serbia’s continued balancing act between Russia and China, with Beijing playing an increasingly prominent role through investment and defence cooperation.


Who’s next?

China’s red-carpet reception for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 25th visit to the country underscores a frequency of head-of-state diplomacy that far outpaces its engagement with the United States.
For more about the robust level of trust between Beijing and Moscow, please read here.




Outpacing US engagement

In an interview with Izvestia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says a meeting between Putin and Trump at the Apec summit in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen in November is “theoretically possible”.
“Theoretically, a meeting with all the summit participants is possible [at the APEC summit]. That’s what summits are for,” Peskov says, according to a report by Tass which cites Izvestia.


Trump meeting ‘theoretically possible’

A look at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, Putin’s “second home” when he visits China. The bucolic setting has hosted heavyweights including Richard Nixon, Boris Yeltsin and Kim Jong-un.


Diaoyutai guesthouse

Xi says China and Russia should leverage their well-established cooperation mechanisms, elevating the quality of collaboration in trade and investment, energy and resources, transport and technological innovation, according to a readout by Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
According to the Chinese readout, Putin notes their steadily growing bilateral trade and says their energy demands are “delivering mutual benefits”.
He also says that Russia-China cooperation “serves as an important stabilising factor” amid turbulent international circumstances, adding that Russia is willing to continue strengthening multilateral coordination with China.
The Chinese readout notes that the two leaders “exchanged views over major international and regional issues, including situations in the Middle East.” However, there is no mention of the ongoing war in Ukraine.



‘Leverage mechanisms’

Russian foreign policy aide Yuri ‌Ushakov describes the Xi-Putin talks as positive and says they reached an ‌agreement on “something very important” on energy, according to Tass.
How the two sides approach energy negotiations amid growing uncertainty in global oil markets is a key focus of Putin’s state visit this time.
The United Arab Emirates’ exit from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and the wider Opec framework, announced late April and effective on May 1, has added fresh uncertainty to global energy markets.


The move dealt a blow to the oil producers’ group as an unprecedented energy crisis caused by the US-Israel war on Iran exposes discord ‌among ⁠Gulf nations and accelerates the fragmentation of global oil markets.
For Russia – whose economy remains heavily dependent on hydrocarbon revenues – maintaining stable long-term energy demand from China has become increasingly important, as pricing power in energy markets becomes more volatile and contested.


‘Important’ energy deal

Russia’s Ministry of Construction says in a social media post that construction, housing and utilities minister Irek Faizulin took part in the expanded talks
Russia and China will develop cooperation in the construction industry, the ministry added, including adapting regulatory frameworks, using artificial intelligence and new technologies, as well as strengthening scientific and educational ties.


Construction minister

Xi and Putin jointly unveiled the emblem for the China-Russia Years of Education after the initiative was announced by the two leaders in their 2026 New Year greetings, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The programme aims to expand educational cooperation, strengthen people-to-people exchanges and advance broader efforts towards building a “community with a shared future for mankind”.
Chinese Education Minister Huai Jinpeng already delivered a welcoming address.


Education unveiling

As Putin continues his state visit to China, growing pressure to reopen formal channels with Moscow has EU leaders mulling whether Germany’s former chancellor Angela Merkel or former European Central Bank head Mario Draghi should steer potential negotiations, Financial Times reported.

The bloc has closed most formal communication channels with Russia since the war in Ukraine broke out in 2022.


EU mulls negotiations

Russian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak says all aspects of cooperation between Russia and China have been discussed in both narrow and broad formats, emphasising that trade turnover is growing.
He says cooperation is developing in all areas, including energy. Novak adds that joint projects are ongoing and plans have been outlined to expand these programs.


Russian deputy PM on talks

In the China-Russia Years of Education initiative, Russia plans to implement 103 projects aimed at developing education, strengthening youth and scientific cooperation, and promoting the Russian language in China and the Chinese language in Russia, according to Tass.


Years of Education projects

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov says Putin and Xi will discuss Iran, Ukraine and US relations over tea.


Tea topics

After meeting Trump for a high-stakes summit in Anchorage, Alaska, in August, Putin told reporters that cooperation with the United States in the Arctic was “very possible”.
It is unclear how far that could go, but it could be an area where Russia might work with the United States to reduce dependence on China.



Arctic thaw?

Xi says he hopes both sides will take the China-Russia Years of Education initiative as an opportunity to further consolidate consensus and expand areas of cooperation.
Addressing the scheme’s launching ceremony, Xi says education cooperation enriches the countries’ strategic partnership and that innovation is what all countries would choose.
Putin follows, saying Russia and China are launching a “milestone” initiative together, and that both countries are aware that high-quality education serves as the foundation of developing a society and economic progress.



Xi & Putin on education

Chinese historian Shen Zhihua warns about the economic decoupling that sent US-Soviet relations spiralling into confrontation in this interview from our Open Questions series. He also says China should make its diplomatic position clear as countries realign over ideology.


Lessons from the Stalin era

Russia and China have reached an agreement on the key parameters of the Power of Siberia 2 project, including both the route and construction, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says, according to RT.
“Some details remain to be ironed out,” he says.
The proposed project, under discussion for nearly two decades, could deliver an additional 50 billion cubic metres of gas a year from Russia’s Arctic and Siberian fields to China via Mongolia, a scale comparable to the designed 55 billion cubic metres annual capacity of the damaged Nord Stream 2 pipeline.


Power of Siberia 2 agreement

China has decided to extend its visa‑free policy for Russian citizens until December 31, 2027, foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun says on Wednesday.
The extension applies to stays relating to tourism, travel, business and exchanges.


Visa-free entry

At the end of the Years of Education event, Putin says Russia and China will continue “mutually beneficial cooperation”.
He says Russia and China have introduced 15 joint associations, including joint universities.
Putin says the Russian language is taught at more than 200 universities and 125 schools in China and that more than 100,000 Russian citizens study Chinese, with tens of thousands more Russians learning the language in China.



More Putin on education

China and Russia will expand joint military exercises as well as air and maritime patrols, according to the joint statement on furthering comprehensive partnership released by the Kremlin.
Beijing and Moscow will continue to strengthen the friendship between the two militaries, deepen mutual trust in the military sphere and improve cooperation mechanisms, it adds.
The two sides also reiterate their intention to develop their cooperation on the military application of artificial intelligence.




Joint military exercises

Putin has been reunited with Chinese engineer Peng Pai, with whom the Russian president posed for a photo 25 years ago during his first state visit to China in 2000, the Kremlin says.
Russian state media outlet Tass says Putin meets Peng at Diaoyutai after the Cross-Years of Education opening ceremony.
Putin says he would like to thank journalist who found Peng. He says he recalls how they met as he watches footage of their earlier encounter.
The Russian president says he is happy to learn that Peng decided to study in Moscow, as he hails from the south of China and Moscow “does not have a warm climate.” Putin says he hopes Peng found good, friendly conditions.
For his part, Peng Pai tells Putin their meeting makes him feel “more unreal than in science fiction”.
They exchange dinnerware sets as gifts, and Putin signs a commemorative photo from their first meeting, according to Kremlin correspondent Alexander Yunashev.



Engineer’s reunion with Putin

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says Xi holds teas with other leaders as well, but this one is a mandatory part of meetings with Putin to discuss the most sensitive issues, according to Tass.



Russian tea distinction

Russia and China have agreed to deepen practical cooperation in space, including joint work on the International Lunar Research Station, according to a joint statement issued following the leaders’ meeting in Beijing.
The two countries will deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in satellite navigation and ensure the complementarity of the Glonass – Russia’s space-based satellite navigation and positioning system – and BeiDou navigation systems.




Space cooperation

Putin says during his meeting with engineer Peng Pai that Russia and China are not friends against anyone, are not fighting with anyone, and are ready to cooperate with partners around the world, including China.
Putin says that the meeting with Peng is taking place on a significant day – in 1970 Mao Zedong stated that we must fight American imperialism.
“But we are not friends against anyone,” he adds, according to Russian state journalist Alexander Yunashev.
Putin says under the guidance of Xi and the Chinese Communist Party, China is growing at a very good rate, showing strong performance.
“This ensures both political and economic stability,” Putin tells Peng.
“When issues occur, we can then understand how important this stability is.”



‘We’re not against anyone’: Putin

The joint statement explicitly mentions Japan, saying its course of accelerated rearmament “poses a serious threat” to peace and stability in the region.
“The parties call on the Japanese government to learn from the inhumane history of its own aggression, fully recognise the results of World War II and renounce new militarism and rearmament,” the statement says.




‘Serious’ Japan threat

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held talks in Lee’s hometown of Andong on Tuesday, the same day Putin arrived in Beijing.
It was their fourth meeting in six months and was a reciprocal hometown visit after the pair met in Takaichi’s hometown of Nara in January.
The talks focused on energy security, supply chains and cooperation with the United States amid global uncertainties.
The meeting reflects parallel diplomatic alignments in northeast Asia, with Beijing and Moscow drawing closer while US allies Seoul and Tokyo step up coordination.
It also comes as Japan’s ties with Russia remain strained, with Moscow describing relations as being in an “unprecedented post-war ice age”.



Lee-Takaichi summit

On North Korea, the joint statement says China and Russia oppose economic sanctions, coercive pressure and other measures that threaten the security of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Beijing and Moscow will continue working closely to advance the political resolution of issues on the Korean peninsula and play a constructive role in creating peace mechanisms designed to ensure sustainable long-term stability in northeast Asia, the statement adds.




Xi-Putin summit live: no shadow from Washington as leaders tackle Iran, Ukraine over tea

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Russian president has travelled to the Chinese capital just days after US leader Donald Trump’s visit

Key Takeaways

Russian president has travelled to the Chinese capital just days after US leader Donald Trump’s visit