China treats Russia as junior partner

Xi Jinping used two presidential visits to Beijing this month to show how China now manages its ties with both Washington and Moscow from a position of greater leverage. Donald Trump met Xi in Beijing on May 14, and Vladimir Putin arrived less than a week later for talks that produced broad statements on world order and dozens of agreements but no breakthrough on Russia’s biggest pending ask, the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. Analysts cited by regional outlets said the sequence underscored a relationship in which Beijing treats Moscow as a partner, but not an equal. ### Why did the timing of Putin’s visit matter? Beijing hosted Putin just days after Trump left the Chinese capital, giving Xi a second high-level summit on home ground within one week. The Star reported that Putin’s trip offered China another chance to display diplomatic weight after the U.S.-China summit, while RTÉ said the back-to-back visits highlighted how differently Beijing handles its ties with Washington and Moscow. (thestar.com.my) May 14 became an important reference point because the U.S.-China summit in Beijing set the frame for the rest of Trump’s second term, according to The Diplomat. That article said the meeting made clear the shape of U.S.-China relations and pointed to the Chinese formulation of a “constructive and stable strategic relationship” with Washington. ### What did Putin want from Beijing? (thestar.com.my) Putin came to Beijing seeking deeper economic backing as Russia remains more dependent on China after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. RTÉ reported that Moscow had pushed for years for the multibillion-dollar Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, and said progress remained slow because of hesitation in Beijing. The Kremlin did not secure a final agreement on that project during the visit. (thediplomat.com) RTÉ reported that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the two sides had a “basic understanding” on route and construction, but no clear timeline, and the project was absent from the Kremlin’s published list of agreements after the talks. The Star also reported that Putin departed without concrete gains. ### If more than 40 agreements were signed, why do analysts say Russia came away short? (rte.ie) South China Morning Post reported that Xi and Putin signed more than 40 agreements and pledged deeper cooperation during the Beijing summit. But the same burst of documents did not include the biggest item Moscow has long wanted from China, leaving analysts to focus on what was missing rather than on the volume of signed texts. (rte.ie) Yvonne Murray of RTÉ wrote that Trump and Xi now deal with one another as equals, while China sees Russia as its junior partner as a new order takes shape. The Star, citing analysts, similarly said Beijing’s position in three-way ties among China, Russia and the United States had been strengthened by hosting both leaders. Those assessments are analyses by named outlets, not official Chinese or Russian descriptions of the relationship. (scmp.com) ### How are other Asian governments reading this? Japan is watching the new U.S.-China tone through a security lens. The Diplomat said the May 14 summit has implications for alliance credibility, regional security architecture and the choices facing middle powers in Asia. In a related article, the same publication said Japanese policymakers fear being sidelined if Washington and Beijing redefine ties in more explicitly great-power terms. (rte.ie) South Korea is weighing similar questions. Another Diplomat analysis said Trump praised Xi during the summit and described the meeting as “the biggest summit ever,” while Xi asked whether the two countries could provide greater stability for the world. That language has sharpened concern among U.S. allies about how much room remains for their own priorities if Washington and Beijing stabilize relations on terms they do not control. (thediplomat.com) ### What comes next after the Beijing meetings? May 2026 now leaves three separate tracks to watch: implementation of the more than 40 China-Russia agreements, any renewed movement on Power of Siberia 2, and follow-up diplomacy after the May 14 Trump-Xi summit. The Diplomat said the Beijing summit with Trump is likely to shape U.S.-China relations for the rest of the second Trump administration, while regional governments continue to assess how those talks affect alliance planning and security policy. (thediplomat.com 1) (thediplomat.com 2)