Putin Arrives in Beijing, Set to Hold Historic Strategic Talks with Xi

Beijing. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday night for a state visit to China. At the warm invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin is visiting China from May 19 to 20. He was accorded a high-level welcome at Beijing International Airport, reflecting the depth of the special friendship and strategic trust between the two countries.

According to China’s Foreign Ministry, during the visit, the two presidents will hold in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations, the expansion of cooperation in various fields, and international and regional issues of common interest. The two leaders will share their perspectives on world peace and security, a multipolar world order, the central role of the United Nations, respect for international law, and the protection of sovereignty.

This is Putin’s 25th visit to China. It is being viewed as an important diplomatic opportunity to raise the high-level political dialogue and comprehensive strategic partnership between Beijing and Moscow to a new height. Relations between the two countries have emerged as a major pillar of stability in today’s uncertain and unstable world.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China Russia Treaty of Good Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation. These two historic milestones highlight the maturity, durability, and strategic depth of relations between the two countries. The treaty, signed in 2001, placed bilateral relations on a solid foundation of international law and mutual respect, and over the past 25 years, it has elevated cooperation between the two countries to an unprecedented level.

According to a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, both sides are preparing to use these historic occasions to further deepen and elevate China Russia relations. The spokesperson expressed confidence that relations between the two countries will provide greater stability and positive energy to the world. “China Russia relations today are a model of international relations, based on mutual respect, equality, non interference, and mutual benefit,” the spokesperson said.

In recent years, cooperation between China and Russia has expanded significantly in politics, economy, energy, trade, infrastructure, security, technology, space, agriculture, cultural exchanges, and multilateral platforms. In 2025, bilateral trade between the two countries reached a historic record, surpassing 250 billion U.S. dollars. In the energy sector, the Power of Siberia gas pipeline, oil supplies, nuclear energy cooperation, and joint projects in renewable energy have strengthened economic interdependence between the two countries.

In the field of security, the two countries have regularly advanced joint military exercises, defense technology cooperation, joint counterterrorism efforts, and regional security dialogue. On multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, the SCO, BRICS, and the G20, both countries have continued to support each other. Their identical or closely aligned positions on major global issues have strengthened multilateral diplomacy.

Russia has consistently expressed firm support for China’s “One China” policy, while China has maintained a clear position in support of the protection of Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Both countries have opposed external interference, unilateral sanctions, and Cold War mentality, while jointly advocating the democratization of international relations and multipolarity.

Putin’s visit is expected to further strengthen strategic coordination between the two countries. According to analysts, the visit will contribute positively not only to bilateral relations, but also to stability, balance, and multilateralism in world politics. The close partnership between China and Russia is neither a military alliance nor directed against any third party. Rather, it is a model of international relations in the new era, demonstrating that two major powers can transform competition into dialogue, differences into coordination, and challenges into opportunities.

Following the talks between the two presidents, a joint statement is expected to be issued and bilateral agreements in various fields are expected to be signed. At the conclusion of the visit, the two leaders will attend the official opening ceremony of the China Russia Year of Education 2026 to 2027, which is expected to further deepen people to people relations, cultural exchanges, and mutual understanding between the younger generations of the two countries.