Xi Jinping and Putin Reaffirm Alliance, with the United States Mocked
President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed the close China–Russia alliance in a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday, just days after U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit. Xi said the China–Russia relationship remains solid and is unstoppable despite international pressure, and that they are deepening political trust and strategic coordination with resilience that remains unshaken. Putin was greeted with a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, with military honours and schoolchildren waving flags, though the atmosphere was described as warmer and more personal than during Trump’s visit.
Opening the talks, the two leaders praised the strategic partnership as the highest in history. Putin even borrowed a Chinese expression to illustrate their closeness: “A day apart feels like three autumns.” Xi also lightly taunted the United States by noting attempts at unilateralism and global hegemony are on the rise.
Unlike Trump’s visit, which yielded few concrete results, Xi and Putin immediately signed a series of new agreements spanning trade, media, and energy. After the formal session, the two then held closed talks over tea for about 90 minutes. The Kremlin said the informal talks touched on the most sensitive issues, including the Ukraine war, the Iran situation, and relations with the United States.
Behind the warmth, Russia is increasingly reliant on China, especially after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 triggered Western sanctions. Beijing is now Russia’s main oil buyer. The Middle East conflict also provided Putin with an opportunity to push for greater energy cooperation with China. The Iran crisis and Middle East oil-distribution disruptions open the door for Russia to offer alternative energy supplies.
“Russia and China are actively cooperating in the energy sector. We are ready to continue supplying various types of energy to the rapidly developing Chinese market,” Putin said. Moscow is also seeking to speed up the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project linking Russia and China via Mongolia, though the Kremlin acknowledged there is not yet a concrete construction timeline.
China, by contrast, remains cautious about the Middle East conflict. Xi underscored the need for a comprehensive ceasefire and for diplomacy to continue. “A comprehensive ceasefire is the most urgent,” he said. “Continuing hostilities is unwise, and maintaining negotiations is crucial.”
The Xi–Putin meeting also underscored the two countries’ stance as they face growing Western influence. Putin reaffirmed that Russia and China are committed to independent and sovereign foreign policies. “We are committed to an independent and sovereign foreign policy,” he said.
China has long called for dialogue to end the Ukraine war but has not openly condemned Moscow’s invasion, preferring a neutral stance even as its economic ties with Moscow grow amid Western isolation of Russia.