Chinese President Xi Jinping has rolled out a full state welcome for Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday, using the visit to underline growing China-Russia ties while delivering a thinly veiled criticism of the United States.
Speaking during talks at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Xi described China and Russia as a source of “calm amid chaos” at a time of rising global instability.
Without directly naming Washington, the Chinese leader criticised what he called “unilateral hegemonic currents,” language Beijing frequently uses to challenge what it sees as American dominance in global affairs.
Xi said China and Russia should deepen their strategic coordination as international tensions continue to reshape global politics.
The meeting came just days after Xi hosted Donald Trump for a closely watched US-China summit, placing Beijing at the centre of diplomatic engagement with two of the world’s most influential powers.
While both Trump and Putin received high-level receptions in Beijing, Putin’s visit carried stronger symbolic displays of friendship.
Xi and Putin signed a joint statement reaffirming their close partnership and support for what they described as a “multipolar world” — a global order less dominated by the West and more reflective of emerging powers.
The statement also included criticism of the proposed US “Golden Dome” missile defence project, which both governments argued could undermine strategic stability.
Xi used the meeting to address wider global crises, including the conflict involving Iran and Israel, warning that prolonged fighting could disrupt energy supplies, trade routes and global supply chains.
“A comprehensive cessation of war brooks no delay,” Xi said, stressing the need for negotiations and an early end to hostilities.
For Putin, the Beijing visit marked another step in a relationship that has grown increasingly important since Russia’s confrontation with the West intensified over the war in Ukraine.
This visit is Putin’s 25th official trip to China during his years in power and comes as Moscow continues military operations in Ukraine and navigates fresh tensions in the Middle East.
Xi and Putin, who have met more than 40 times, have steadily tightened cooperation in trade, security and diplomacy, driven largely by shared friction with the United States.
Putin described the relationship as being at an “unprecedentedly high level” and called it one of the key stabilising forces in world affairs.
He also highlighted the personal rapport between both leaders, quoting a Chinese expression suggesting that even brief separation feels painfully long.
Beyond diplomatic ceremony, the talks focused on expanding the so-called “no-limits” partnership between both countries.
Energy cooperation, agriculture, transport, technology and industrial development featured prominently on the agenda.
“Russia continues to maintain its role as a reliable supplier of resources, while China remains a responsible consumer,” Putin told Xi.
The meeting unfolded against a changing geopolitical backdrop.
China and Russia are marking 25 years since signing their 2001 Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, an agreement that helped resolve historic tensions and laid the foundation for today’s strategic relationship.
But analysts say the balance within that partnership has shifted.
Unlike previous years, Putin arrived in Beijing facing growing pressure at home and abroad, with Russia confronting battlefield setbacks in Ukraine and increased security concerns following recent drone attacks.
That changing dynamic may offer Beijing greater leverage, particularly in energy negotiations, as conflict in the Middle East threatens oil supplies and adds pressure to global markets.
Even so, Wednesday’s carefully staged meeting sent a clear message: despite changing international alignments and renewed engagement with Washington, China and Russia remain determined to present themselves as strategic partners with shared ambitions on the world stage.
