Xi praises 'unyielding' ties with Putin

Xi Jinping used a May 20 meeting in Beijing with Vladimir Putin to present China-Russia ties as steady and durable days after hosting U.S. President Donald Trump. In public remarks after their talks, Xi said the relationship had reached “a historical high” and described political mutual trust as the hallmark of bilateral ties. Putin’s visit was timed to the 25th anniversary of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation, and the two leaders signed new joint statements in Beijing. ### What exactly did Xi say alongside Putin? Xi said on May 20 that China and Russia had built a “comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction in the new age” and that the relationship was “justly regarded as an example of a new type of relations between major powers.” He said the two sides had decided to extend the 25-year treaty that underpins the relationship. (en.kremlin.ru) The Kremlin transcript shows Xi also said the two countries had been “unwaveringly committed” to principles of “non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting against other countries.” In the same appearance, he said both sides should “continue to offer each other firm and mutual support on matters relating to our respective core interests and key concerns.” (en.kremlin.ru) ### What did the two governments sign in Beijing? The Kremlin said Xi and Putin signed a Joint Statement on further strengthening their comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation and deepening relations of good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation. The two sides also approved a Joint Declaration on the formation of a multipolar world and a new type of international relations. (en.kremlin.ru) Beijing’s public staging underscored the scope of the visit. Putin arrived in China on May 19, held talks with Xi at the Great Hall of the People on May 20, met Premier Li Qiang, attended an education cooperation ceremony and closed the visit with a tea reception with Xi, according to the Kremlin schedule. ### Why did the timing draw attention in Washington? (en.kremlin.ru) Trump left Beijing on May 15 after two days of talks with Xi that produced warm public language but no major public breakthroughs on trade or Iran, according to Reuters. Chinese state media said Xi and Trump also held a private meeting at Zhongnanhai on May 15 before Trump departed. (en.kremlin.ru) That sequence put Putin in Beijing less than a week after Trump’s visit. Neither the Kremlin transcript nor the visit announcement framed the Russia trip as a response to Washington, but Xi’s public language stressed continuity in ties with Moscow at a moment when the United States had just tried to reset its own channel with Beijing. (usnews.com) ### Where does the APEC meeting fit into this? China announced in December 2025 that it will host the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen on November 18-19. APEC’s official site lists the same dates for the leaders’ meeting. That matters because the next obvious multilateral setting for leader-level diplomacy in China is now fixed on the calendar. (en.kremlin.ru) Any Trump-Xi, Trump-Putin or Xi-Putin contact around that summit would take place against a scheduled gathering already expected to bring leaders to Shenzhen in November. ### What comes next after the Beijing meeting? (english.gov.cn) November 18-19 is the next firm date on the horizon. China’s foreign ministry announced those are the dates for the 2026 APEC leaders’ meeting in Shenzhen, alongside the CEO summit and ministerial meetings. (english.gov.cn)