Xi, Putin Showcase Stronger Ties in Beijing Amid Western Tensions
Chinese President Xi Jinping has welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing as the two leaders opened a series of high-profile meetings aimed at deepening bilateral relations and projecting defiance toward Western powers.
Both leaders described their countries’ partnership as being at an unprecedented level, underscoring shared opposition to U.S. policies and Western sanctions. Their talks followed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, where Moscow and Beijing promoted the bloc as a counterweight to Western-led alliances. During the visit, Putin is expected to sign up to 20 agreements to boost cooperation with China. Analysts say the warm rapport between Xi and Putin highlights how their alliance has remained steady despite criticism from the United States and Europe as relations between the two nations have expanded significantly since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. While Beijing maintains it is neutral in the conflict, it has continued trade with Moscow, offering a vital economic lifeline despite Western sanctions.
The Beijing meetings come on the eve of a large Chinese military parade marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II defeat, which will be attended by several world leaders, including North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Putin and Xi also held trilateral discussions with Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, where all three pledged closer cooperation. The meeting came despite Mongolia’s status as a member of the International Criminal Court, which has an outstanding arrest warrant for Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine. With these engagements, Beijing and Moscow have sought to project unity, rally Global South solidarity, and signal that they are not isolated on the world stage.
