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

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit this week offered China another opportunity to showcase its diplomatic weight after hosting US President Donald Trump. But behind the display of solidarity and trust, the packed trip appeared to yield few concrete gains for Moscow – notably no deals on the closely watched Power of Siberia 2 pipeline project. Still, Chinese observers said the trip reflected the shared push by Beijing and Moscow for a multipolar world order, even as economic and strategic asymmetries in the relationship have become increasingly apparent. Zhang Xin, a professor at the Centre for Russian Studies at East China Normal University, said Beijing’s position in managing China-Russia-US ties appeared to be strengthened after hosting Trump and Putin. “China is actually standing in a relatively more advantageous position,” he said. “Given the fact that the leaders of Russia and the US have visited China, this is not just symbolic. Indeed, China now is in a relatively stronger position within this triangular relationship.” During Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week, the two sides agreed to build a “constructive relationship of strategic stability”. Meanwhile, Putin and Xi have frequently portrayed bilateral ties as a force of stability amid global turmoil. “Against the backdrop of today’s turbulent global landscape and the waning influence of traditional international mechanisms, many of the world’s most critical issues may ultimately have to be resolved through this type of trilateral framework or similar major-power consultations,” Zhang said. A highlight of Wednesday’s Xi-Putin meeting was a joint declaration on “the emergence of a multipolar world and a new type of international relations”. The leaders have repeatedly talked about establishing a just world order during their phone calls and face-to-face meetings. Li Lifan, a Russia and Central Asia specialist at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said, “China and Russia are indeed aligned on this.” “If you look at many of China’s recent policy documents – whether regarding the Global South or [Association of Southeast Asian Nations members] – they all emphasise opposition to hegemony and rejection of bloc politics, small groupings and exclusive circles,” Li said. “So I think this [joint declaration] is a very important document in terms of the government’s broader strategic direction and how it approaches international affairs.” Putin’s visit came amid mounting speculation that energy vulnerabilities exposed by the war in Iran could prompt Beijing and Moscow to finalise a deal over the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline. China is the world’s largest energy importer, while Russia has been strained by Western sanctions over the Ukraine war. First proposed in 2006, the pipeline is designed to link gas fields in Russia’s Yamal peninsula with northern China via Mongolia, but talks over the megaproject have been stalled over disputes about gas prices and other issues. Zhang said the strategic value of the pipeline for China had been overestimated. He noted that in recent decades, Beijing had improved its energy security by accelerating its renewable transition and diversifying supply chains – most notably through partnerships with Turkmenistan, which boasts some of the world’s largest gas reserves. “While a megaproject like the Power of Siberia 2 certainly has its importance, it is not something China feels it absolutely must secure immediately. This sense of urgency simply does not exist on the Chinese side,” he said. “Therefore, whether it is regarding pricing or financing terms, approaching negotiations with Russia from a perspective of long-term commercial interest is by no means a bad thing.” After the talks between Xi and Putin on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media that the two sides had reached some consensus on the pipeline – for example, on the route and how the project would be built. “Some details still need to be finalised, but in general, such an understanding is already in place,” he said. Li noted there were positive signs. “In the Russian wording, there was a reference to ‘accelerating negotiations’. That in itself is a signal that China is still responding positively to Russia’s requests, and that the project has not been shelved. The central issue, ultimately, is pricing,” he said. Li framed it as a “bargaining process”, adding that it remained possible that the two sides would reach a non-binding memorandum of understanding before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Shenzhen. Putin has confirmed that he will attend the November event. However, most of the deals signed on Wednesday remain symbolic. More than half of the 40 documents are non-binding memorandums of understanding, which are usually considered just a declaration of intention. Zhang noted that connectivity was also high on the bilateral agenda. The two sides agreed to build a new cross-border rail line between Russia’s Zabaykalsk and Manzhouli, China’s largest land port, located in Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Currently, all cross-border goods must be reloaded because of the difference in track gauge between the two countries. The project is expected to involve a new track built to international standard gauge, which could significantly improve port capacity while allowing the line to integrate seamlessly into China’s vast rail network.

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

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Analysts say Beijing’s position in managing three-way ties appears to be strengthened after hosting Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin

Analysts say Beijing’s position in managing three-way ties appears to be strengthened after hosting Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin