Putin Arrives in Beijing, Begins Two-Day State Visit to China

Visit Follows Trump’s Trip to China by Four Days
Summit with Xi Jinping Scheduled for the Morning of the 20th

On the 19th, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on his private plane and greeted Wang Yi, Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs, exchanging pleasantries. Photo by AP Yonhap News

On the night of May 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing, China, commencing a two-day state visit. President Putin is scheduled to hold a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 20, where they are expected to discuss international affairs and energy cooperation.

According to China Central Television (CCTV), President Putin landed at Beijing Capital International Airport at around 11:12 p.m. on May 19 on his private plane. Wang Yi, Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs, led the honor guard and welcoming delegation to greet President Putin at the airport. President Putin’s visit comes just four days after U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his own visit to China from May 13 to 15.

Beginning his two-day schedule in China, President Putin is expected to stay at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. On the morning of May 20, President Putin will attend a welcome ceremony hosted by President Xi at Tiananmen Square, followed by a closed-door summit meeting between the two leaders. This will mark the first direct meeting between President Putin and President Xi since the military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory Day held in Beijing nine months ago, in September of the previous year.

After the bilateral summit, an expanded meeting will take place with the participation of Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The two leaders also plan to attend a commemorative event for the “Year of Russia·China (2026–2027).” Through this summit, the leaders are expected to discuss economic and energy cooperation, international and regional affairs, among other topics.

Previously, the Russian side announced that several cooperation documents are scheduled to be signed during the summit. The Kremlin also stated that President Putin will meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss prospects for trade and economic cooperation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.