Xi Jinping and Putin Pledge 'Strategic Cooperation'... Joint Statement Expected

China-Russia Summit: Putin Visits China for the 25th Time
"Global Turmoil and Rising Hegemony"
Energy Issues Discussed, Including Russia-China Gas Pipeline Connection

Less than a week after U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing, the leaders of China and Russia held a summit and pledged a “strategic partnership.” Amid the global turmoil caused by the Middle East war, the two countries reportedly discussed cooperation across diverse fields, including energy, finance, military, and security.

Xi Jinping Holds Summit with Putin at the Great Hall of the People

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin are walking side by side on the 20th at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

According to Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping held a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the morning of the 20th at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. This marks President Putin’s 25th visit to China.

At the meeting, President Xi emphasized, “This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.” He added, “Despite numerous trials and challenges, China and Russia have continuously deepened political mutual trust and strategic cooperation.” On this day, the two leaders also agreed to extend the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

He continued, “The current international situation is entangled with change and chaos, and there is a strong backlash of unilateralism and hegemony.” Nevertheless, “the pursuit of peace, development, and cooperation is what the people desire and is the prevailing trend,” he added.

He went on to say, “China and Russia must support the development and revitalization of each country through comprehensive strategic cooperation from a long-term perspective,” and “We must build a more just and reasonable global governance system.”

Putin Responds, Calling Xi Jinping ‘Dear Friend’

President Putin also responded. According to Russian news agency TASS and others, he said, “The comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between our two countries set a model for modern international relations,” and assessed that bilateral ties have reached an unprecedented level.

He referred to President Xi as his “dear friend,” and emphasized that although the strength and stability of their relationship have been tested multiple times, it has remained unchanged. He stated that cooperation would continue to develop not only bilaterally but also on the international stage.

He also stressed the importance of a multipolar world order. He stated, “A complex process is underway to shape a multipolar world based on a balance of interests for all participating countries,” and asserted that Russia and China are working together to build a more democratic world order.

Putin also highlighted that Russia is a “reliable energy supplier” for China. He said, “Despite unfavorable external conditions, our cooperation and economic ties remain positive,” adding, “In the current international situation, where tensions persist, close cooperation between our two countries is especially necessary.”

President Putin invited President Xi to visit Russia next year. He also confirmed his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held in Shenzhen, China, this November. Furthermore, he noted that the visa waiver program between the two countries has vitalized people-to-people exchanges and pledged to continue its implementation.

China and Russia Reaffirm Ties Amid Supply Chain Crisis Spurred by Middle East War

The Financial Times (FT) reported that the purpose of this summit was to reaffirm China-Russia relations as the global energy market and supply chains are being shaken by the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran.

Earlier, the Kremlin announced that the two countries would sign about 40 new documents and release a 47-page joint statement. The “Power of Siberia 2” gas pipeline project was also on the agenda. This project aims to connect Russian gas fields—previously destined for Europe—to China. Last September, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the pipeline’s construction, but, according to the FT, have yet to agree on prices and purchase volumes. In fact, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that the Russian delegation included industry figures such as the head of the state oil company Rosneft, as well as central bank officials.

Bloomberg and others reported that a wide range of topics—including trade, finance, military, and security cooperation—were expected to be discussed at the summit. Russian daily Izvestia quoted Russian Minister of Transport Andrey Nikitin, who expressed hope that one of the summit’s key achievements would be the signing of an agreement to expand the railway border crossing between Zabaikalsk, Russia, and Manzhouli, China. He described this as “a major and significant step forward for the development of freight transportation between the two countries.”

Foreign Media: ‘Reminiscent of the U.S.-China Summit’

U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping stand side by side at Zhongnanhai in Beijing on the 15th, where the U.S.-China summit was held. Photo by Xinhua Yonhap News

Foreign media outlets highlighted that President Putin’s visit to China came only shortly after President Trump’s trip. President Trump visited Beijing for a two-day schedule on the 14th and 15th. This marked the first visit to Beijing by a sitting U.S. president in about nine years, since President Trump’s first term in November 2017.

The Guardian noted, “President Xi welcomed President Putin with grand protocol and a lavish reception at the Great Hall of the People,” adding, “This comes just days after he hosted President Trump at the same venue.” Commenting on the two leaders walking into the summit venue together, the paper observed, “This scene is reminiscent of last week’s U.S.-China summit.”

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) in Hong Kong also pointed out, “President Putin’s visit to China came just days after the U.S.-China summit,” and noted that “at that time, the U.S. and Chinese leaders agreed to reset bilateral relations and establish a new diplomatic framework called ‘constructive strategic stability.’”

Meanwhile, on the same day, According to China's Ministry of Commerce, China announced that it would discuss with the U.S. lowering tariffs on goods worth 30 billion dollars (about 45 trillion won) each, and would also cooperate with the U.S. on research regarding export controls of critical minerals such as rare earths. The plan to introduce 200 Boeing aircraft from the U.S. was also made public.

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