Putin Arrives In China To Grand Welcome As Xi Aims To Project Unity After Trump Visit
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday arrived in China to hold talks with his “great friend” Xi Jinping, receiving a grand welcome as both countries aim to project unity after US President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Beijing.
Putin and his delegation arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport and were welcomed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the airport.Hundreds of Chinese youth chanted “welcome, welcome” and waved Russian flags upon Putin’s arrival.
He will meet Xi and discuss how to strengthen Russia and China’s strategic partnership and “exchange views on key international and regional issues”.
Just days after Trump’s visit to China, Xi and Putin exchanged “congratulatory letters”. Xi said the bilateral cooperation between Russia and China “continuously deepened and solidified” as this year will mark 30-year-anniversary of the two countries’ strategic partnership, Chinese state media reported.
Why Putin’s Visit To China Matters?
This meeting comes as concerns over China’s deepened relationship with Russia continue to grow, especially since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Putin said in a video message on Tuesday that relations with China have reached “a truly unprecedented level”, and that “trade between Russia and China continues to grow”.
“The close strategic relationship between Russia and China plays a major, stabilising role globally. Without allying against anyone, we seek peace and universal prosperity,” Putin said, without mentioning any third country.
As per analysts, the timing of Putin’s visit to China is significant, as it takes place just after Trump’s closely-watched trip. While Trump boasted of major trade deals, there was not much progress on key issues between US and China, including Taiwan and the US-Israeli war on Iran. China has also made it clear that it won’t sidestep its relationship with Russia.
Reports suggest that Putin may be looking for increased military support from China to fuel its war with Ukraine. For China, the back-to-back visits by the world’s biggest leaders are a sign of its growing diplomatic leverage, which positions Beijing as a central player in global politics.
During Trump’s visit to China, the White House stated, China agreed to significantly increase imports of American agricultural products, including beef and poultry.
