Beijing, China. China’s President Xi Jinping and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin praised progress in their strategic ties during summit talks in Beijing on Wednesday, where Moscow is expected to push for stronger energy links.
Summit talks and ceremony
Xi welcomed Putin with an honour guard and a gun salute at the Great Hall of the People as children waved Chinese and Russian flags. Alongside formal talks, the two leaders were expected to end the day with an intimate meeting over tea.
Global governance and strategic cooperation
Xi said the two countries should focus on long-term strategy and promote a “more just and reasonable” global governance system, according to a transcript from Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Xi said China-Russia relations had reached their current level because the two sides had been able to deepen political mutual trust and strategic cooperation.
Energy links and invitation to Russia
Putin said the relationship was helping ensure global stability and stressed that Russia remained a reliable energy supplier amid disruption in the Middle East. He said that even against unfavourable external factors, cooperation and economic ties continued to show good dynamics, and added that he had invited Xi to visit Russia next year.
Optics following Trump visit
The summit came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing, and the optics and outcomes of Xi and Putin’s meeting were expected to be closely scrutinised and compared.
Tea meetings as a signal
Xi is known for hosting visiting leaders over tea, and the setting and manner of such encounters can be viewed as a signal of his regard for a guest. When Xi hosted Putin in May 2024, the pair spoke over tea outdoors in Zhongnanhai after removing their ties. In contrast, Trump’s stroll through a secret garden and tea with Xi in the same compound, as well as a tour of the Temple of Heaven last week, appeared more choreographed.
Expert comment
“Beijing is loving the optics of this. They’re loving being the centre of world attention, and they will be playing it for their domestic audience for all that it’s worth,” said Graeme Smith, a senior fellow at the Australian National University’s Pacific Affairs department.
What do you think will be most closely scrutinised from the Xi-Putin summit in Beijing?