Putin and Xi Announce Plans to Strengthen Military Ties in Beijing

Russian Leader Praises ‘Comradely’ Talks with Chinese President Ahead of Concert to Mark 75 Years of ‘Friendship’

On his first foreign trip since being re-inaugurated as Russia's president, Vladimir Putin met with Xi Jinping in Beijing, where the two leaders announced plans to deepen their military cooperation. This development highlights the ever-strengthening relationship between Russia and China, marked by mutual support and shared geopolitical goals.

Xi Jinping's warm reception for Putin underscored the close bond between the two countries. Xi, who recently faced scrutiny over China's economic and political actions during his European tour, welcomed Putin with high honors, referring to him as his "best friend." This meeting came on the heels of the Biden administration's announcement of new tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese goods, which had angered Beijing.

During a press conference before a celebratory concert marking the 75th anniversary of formal China-Russia relations, Putin lauded the “warm and comradely” talks with Xi. Xi reciprocated, calling the friendship between China and Russia "everlasting" and a model for a new type of international relations. The visit is filled with symbolic gestures reflecting the deepening ties between the two nations since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

After the concert, Xi and Putin planned to take a walk near the Forbidden City, followed by tea and dinner with the Russian delegation. The next day, they were scheduled to visit Harbin, a city in northeast China known as "Little Moscow" due to its significant Russian heritage and architecture. This visit underscores the cultural and historical links between the two countries.

Despite Western pressure to persuade Putin to end the war in Ukraine, China's support for Russia has grown. Xi and Putin view each other as allies in promoting a multipolar world order that challenges the US-led global consensus. Bilateral trade between China and Russia reached a record $240.1 billion last year, and there are indications that more goods, including dual-use technology potentially aiding Russia's war effort, are being sent from China through third countries.

Though the joint statement on expanding military drills lacked specifics, it followed significant joint exercises between Chinese and Russian forces. Last year, Chinese naval units participated in exercises with Russian forces in the Sea of Japan, and in March, Chinese and Russian navies conducted drills in the Gulf of Oman with Iranian forces.

Putin's visit to Harbin will emphasize the shared cultural and historical ties between Russia and China, as well as enhanced economic cooperation. Russian state media reported that Russia’s sovereign wealth fund would open an office in Harbin, and a ceremony to mark the start of the China-Russia Expo, a major trade fair, is planned.

According to Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, "Never since the fall of the Soviet Union has Russia been so distant from Europe, and never in its entire history has it been so entwined with China." Despite signs of US sanctions affecting Chinese traders' ability to process Russian payments, the overall relationship between Russia and China continues to grow stronger, underscored by their deepening military and economic ties.