Important Visit Between Russia and China
- Following in Donald Trump’s footsteps, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China on Tuesday for a two-day visit with his “good friend” Xi Jinping.
- This visit aims to “strengthen” the strategic partnership between the two allied capitals, as highlighted by the Russian presidency, which praises an unprecedented closeness.
- However, several thorny issues are expected to be discussed, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine and Chinese energy supplies.
Nearly a week after the grand welcome of American President Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin hopes to demonstrate the strength of his ties with China. The Russian president arrived in China on Tuesday, May 19, in the afternoon to meet with his “long-time good friend,” his counterpart Xi Jinping on Wednesday. In recent days, he even stated that relations between the two countries had reached “a truly unprecedented level.” This is significant support for Russia, which has been marginalized on the world stage since the start of its invasion in Ukraine.
The two leaders, aged 73 and 72, respectively, will discuss ways to “strengthen” their strategic partnership and “exchange opinions on major international and regional issues,” according to the Russian presidency. They are expected to sign a joint declaration at the end of their meeting. This meeting has been prepared by the exchange of warm “congratulatory letters” between the two heads of state on Sunday, marking the 30th anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership between the two capitals, in which Xi Jinping praised a cooperation that has “continuously deepened.”
Shadowed by Donald Trump?
While Donald Trump was welcomed with great ceremony last week, marking the first visit by an American president to China in nine years, this meeting is expected to be less extravagant. The last visit by the Russian leader was in September 2025, and this new meeting marks his 25th visit to China. However, it is an opportunity for the two men to show unity and even personal closeness, as Xi Jinping described his counterpart as an “old friend” when receiving him last autumn.
Although the tone of the meeting is expected to be different from last week’s, it is possible that Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing will be a topic of discussion. “There is no connection between the visits,” assured Vladimir Putin’s diplomatic adviser, Yuri Ushakov. However, some experts believe the Kremlin is looking to gather information about the American position on the Russian invasion in Ukraine. The Chinese president will likely “certainly share with Vladimir Putin what was discussed,” according to Patricia Kim, a researcher at the Brookings Institution, speaking to the AFP.
The Energy Question, a Crucial Issue for Moscow
Another key issue for Moscow is securing Chinese economic support, which has become indispensable in recent years due to Western sanctions piling up. This includes the crucial question of energy: since 2022, Russian oil exports to China have increased by about 30%, and Beijing is currently the largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels in the world. This financial support is vital for Russia’s military machine, which has just begun three days of nuclear exercises at the beginning of this week.
Moreover, the two countries are in talks for the construction of a massive gas pipeline project, “Power of Siberia 2,” for which a “legally binding” memorandum was signed in September 2025. According to the Russian gas giant Gazprom, this project should transport “50 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Russia through Mongolia.” While a final agreement has not been reached yet, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could expedite these negotiations which have been dragging on for years, according to some analysts.
