Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
WASHINGTON DC, 17th May. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday arrived in Beijing for a two-day state visit to deepened relations between Moscow and Beijing in the face of heavy friction with the West, media reported.
Putin’s visit is symbolic first overseas foray since entering a new term as Russia’s president last week.
This is the latest sign of the deepening relations between Beijing and Moscow in the face of heavy friction with the West.
Putin arrived in Beijing after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he would halt all upcoming international visits, as his troops defend against Russia’s advances in his country’s north-eastern Kharkiv region.
According to media reports the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the war in Gaza, are expected to feature in Xi and Putin’s meetings, alongside discussions on their expanding trade, security, and energy ties.
Putin hailed the “unprecedented level of strategic partnership” between the countries in an interview with Chinese state media Xinhua.
He said the leaders aimed to “strengthen foreign policy coordination” and deepen cooperation in “industry and high-tech, outer space and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and other innovative sectors.”
Putin also praised China’s “approaches to resolving the crisis in Ukraine.”
Beijing has never condemned Russia’s invasion, rather it claims ‘neutrality’ in the conflict and has called for peace talks that take both sides’ positions into account.
Two leaders have continued to strengthen their countries’ diplomatic, trade, and security ties since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The trade between Moscow and Beijing has surged in the wake of the war, hitting record levels last year as many countries slapped sanctions on Moscow to drain Russia’s war coffers.
This is the fourth in-person meeting between Xi and Putin since the invasion and Putin’s second visit to Beijing in that time. Xi also visited Moscow in 2023 after entering his new term as China’s president.
They are expected to sign a number of bilateral agreements, the Kremlin said Tuesday.
Both are also expected to celebrate 75 years of their diplomatic relations at a “gala event”, as described by Chinese state media.
Besides meeting with Xi in Beijing, Putin is expected to visit Harbin, the north-eastern Heilongjiang province bordering Russia’s Far East, where he will attend trade and cooperation forums, media reports added.
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