Xi Jinping and Putin commend ties, but energy talks stall in Beijing
On Wednesday, the leaders of China and Russia praised the advancements in their strategic relationship during a summit in Beijing. However, despite the cordial interactions, the discussions did not seem to indicate a significant development in the gas agreement that has been in negotiation for over ten years. President Xi Jinping received President Vladimir Putin with an honor guard and a gun salute at the Great Hall of the People, while children waved Chinese and Russian flags. In addition to the formal discussions, the two are anticipated to conclude the day with a private meeting over tea. Following US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Chinese capital, the optics and outcomes of the summit between the Chinese and Russian leaders were under careful scrutiny. Xi emphasized the necessity for nations to concentrate on long-term strategies and advance a “more just and reasonable” global governance framework, as reported by the Chinese state news agency Xinhua. “China-Russia relations have reached this level because we have been able to deepen political mutual trust and strategic cooperation,” Xi said at the start of his meeting with Putin. Putin remarked following the discussions that Russian-Chinese relations had “reached a truly unprecedented level and continue to develop.
The Russian leader stated that the two countries were engaged in active cooperation in the energy sector and emphasized that his nation continued to be a dependable energy supplier in light of disruptions in the Middle East. Putin extended an invitation to Xi for a visit to Russia in the upcoming year. Moscow had indicated prior to the visit its intention to pursue additional energy agreements with China, the foremost purchaser of Russian oil, encompassing both pipeline supplies and maritime shipments. During Putin’s last visit in September 2025, Russian gas giant Gazprom announced that both sides had reached an agreement to advance with the construction of the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. The proposed 2,600-km system is anticipated to transport 50 billion cubic metres of gas annually to China via Mongolia, drawing from the Arctic gas fields of Yamal, thereby enhancing the current Power of Siberia 1 pipeline infrastructure. China has maintained a low profile regarding the project. While Xi emphasized on Wednesday that collaboration in energy and resource connectivity ought to serve as the “ballast stone” in China-Russia relations, he refrained from mentioning the pipeline. Key issues such as gas pricing remain unresolved, and analysts anticipate that negotiations may extend over several years. The Kremlin announced that both parties have achieved a “general understanding on the parameters” of the project, yet specifics and a definitive timeline remain unestablished. The Kremlin has established “serious expectations” for Putin’s visit, which will also feature a banquet followed by tea, during which the two leaders are expected to engage in discussions on key international issues in a more informal context.
Xi is recognized for hosting visiting leaders over tea; however, the context and style of these meetings can be interpreted as an indication of the Chinese leader’s esteem for his guest. When Xi hosted Putin for talks in May 2024, the two leaders opted to forgo their ties while engaging in conversation over tea in Zhongnanhai, a historic garden that currently serves as the administrative center for the ruling Communist Party and the government. In contrast, Trump’s walk through a secluded garden and tea with Xi in the same premises, along with a visit to the Temple of Heaven last week, seemed more orchestrated. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday that comparing the ceremony in China for the visits of Putin and Trump is unproductive, emphasizing that attention should be directed towards the substance of the events. As Xi and Putin commenced their meeting, China’s commerce ministry verified the acquisition of 200 Boeing jets, a deal previously disclosed by Washington after the Trump-Xi summit. This move underscores China’s intention to stabilize its economic and trade relations with the US, independent of its obligations to Russia. Beijing is poised to pursue an extension of the trade truce with the United States and advocate for mutual tariff reductions on goods valued at $30 billion or more, according to the ministry.
The partnership between China and Russia, often referred to as “no limits,” has seen significant strengthening in the wake of Western sanctions aimed at penalizing Russia for its actions in Ukraine. Xi and Putin observed the signing of 20 cooperation documents, with approximately 20 additional agreements anticipated to be finalized, as reported. Both parties have collaboratively endorsed a statement aimed at enhancing comprehensive strategic coordination, alongside a declaration promoting multi-polarity within the global order. The global agenda of peace and development encounters emerging risks and challenges, highlighting the peril of fragmentation within the international community and a potential regression towards a state of anarchy, as articulated in a joint declaration from the Kremlin. The symbolism behind any joint statement and agreements alone will be significant regardless of substance, stated Patricia Kim, a foreign policy fellow at the Washington-based Brookings Institution. It would underscore the notion that the partnership between China and Russia is robust, institutionalized, and synchronized across a wide array of strategic matters,” she added. Putin, who has referred to Xi as a “dear friend” and has been characterized as a “old friend” by the Chinese leader, arrives during a period of improving bilateral trade following a decline last year.
