Xi and Putin hail 'unyielding' ties

Xi Jinping used a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Beijing on May 20 to show that China’s ties with Russia remain intact despite recent U.S. diplomacy. At the Great Hall of the People, Xi called the relationship “unyielding,” while Putin said bilateral ties were at an “unprecedentedly high level,” according to Chinese and international media reports. The two men also used the visit to align their positions on conflicts beyond Europe, including fighting involving Iran, Israel and the United States. The public display came days after Donald Trump visited Beijing, giving the meeting added weight in the broader contest over who shapes the diplomatic agenda. ### Why did this meeting draw so much attention in Beijing? May 20 mattered because Putin arrived just after Trump’s visit to China, creating a direct visual comparison between Beijing’s engagement with Washington and its partnership with Moscow. Channel NewsAsia reported that the optics and outcomes of the Xi-Putin talks were closely watched for signs of how China wanted to position itself between the two powers. (mfa.gov.cn) Beijing gave Putin a full state welcome at the Great Hall of the People. China’s foreign ministry said Xi and Putin held talks, met the press jointly and discussed what Xi called a series of major issues, while Xinhua said the leaders also witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents. ### What did Xi and Putin actually say about their relationship? Xi told Putin that China-Russia relations were “unyielding,” according to multiple reports, and said Putin’s latest trip was his 25th visit to China. (channelnewsasia.com) In the Chinese foreign ministry’s account, Xi said that number showed the “high level and uniqueness” of the relationship. Putin answered with his own emphasis on continuity. (mfa.gov.cn) Reuters-attributed reports carried by other outlets said he described ties as being at an “unprecedentedly high level,” and AP reported that both leaders praised their friendship and expanding trade, especially in energy. Xinhua said they agreed to extend their friendship treaty and hailed a “new stage” in bilateral ties. ### How directly were they pushing back at the United States? Al Jazeera reported that Xi and Putin signalled a united front against Washington during the summit. Its report said the two leaders warned against a return to the “law of the jungle,” language that cast their meeting as a response to U.S. pressure without always naming the United States directly. (lemonde.fr) CBS and other reports said Xi also referred to “unilateral and hegemonic countercurrents” in the international system. ABC reported that a joint statement from the two sides called for an end to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and said U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran violated international law. ### Why were Ukraine and Iran part of the same conversation? (aljazeera.com) Xi linked the crises at the start of the talks. Reports surfaced through outlets citing wire copy said he called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East while also tying that appeal to discussions of Ukraine and Iran, presenting both as part of a wider security breakdown. Bloomberg reported that the two leaders used the visit to showcase coordination amid wars in Ukraine and Iran. (cbsnews.com) That framing let Beijing and Moscow argue that they are still acting together on the biggest active conflicts, even as the wars involve different actors and different theaters. ### Does the meeting say anything about the balance inside the partnership? (ndtv.com) CNN reported on May 20 that Russia had failed to turn expected military advantages in Ukraine into the breakthrough Putin wanted this year. CNBC, citing analysts before the summit, said Beijing entered the meeting with the stronger hand while Moscow was seeking reassurance that China had not moved closer to Washington after Trump’s visit. (bloomberg.com) The economic side of the visit pointed in the same direction. AP said the two sides highlighted growing energy trade, while several reports said more than 40 agreements were signed in areas including trade, technology and media. Those details underscored Russia’s need for Chinese markets and political backing as the war in Ukraine drags on. May 20 ended with Xi and Putin meeting the press in Beijing and their governments releasing official accounts of the talks. (edition.cnn.com) The next public record of what the visit produced is likely to come through the texts of the signed agreements and any follow-up statements from China’s foreign ministry, the Kremlin and state media. (mfa.gov.cn) (apnews.com)