Beijing: As global tensions continue to reshape geopolitical alliances, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping once again signalled the growing closeness between Moscow and Beijing. Both leaders will meet over tea in Beijing on Wednesday. Notably, Putin and Xi will hold bilateral talks aimed at strengthening ties between two nations.
On Tuesday, Putin arrived in Beijing on a two-day state visit for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The visit comes days after US President Donald Trump visited Beijing and held bilateral talks with Jinping.
Putin-Xi Tea Diplomacy:
Xi is known for hosting visiting leaders over tea. The back-to-back high-profile visits have turned Beijing into a focal point of global diplomacy. The situation is particularly significant as it is one of the few occasions since the Cold War that the heads of both the United States and Russia have traveled to the same major world power within days of each other.
As per the Kremlin, a key highlight of the two-day summit will be a relaxed evening gathering over tea and dinner, offering the two “old friends” an opportunity for candid discussions. Experts believe the timing of the meeting gives Xi Jinping a strategic edge, enabling him to personally share with Putin the main outcomes and behind-the-scenes details from his talks with Trump.
Expectations From Putin Xi Meet:
Putin arrived in Beijing at a time when bilateral trade is improving between the two nations after a downward trend last year. The trade between two superpowers rose 16.1 per cent in the first four months of 2026 as compared to the same period last year, reported Reuters. Bilateral trade between China and Russia reportedly stood at 1.63 trillion yuan (around $240 billion) in 2025, registering a 6.5 per cent drop from the record levels seen in 2024. It was the first contraction in trade between the two countries in five years.
Putin wants to reverse the downtrend in bilateral trade between the two nations, highlighting the importance of China as its economic lifeline amid the ongoing sanctions on Moscow after the Ukraine war.
Also Read: Exit Trump, Enter Putin: Why This China Visit Matters
Around 40 documents are expected to be signed, and a 47-page joint statement on their strengthening partnership will be issued, according to the Kremlin. Putin and Xi are also expected to adopt a joint declaration on establishing a multipolar world order and a “new type of international relations,” a Kremlin aide said, as quoted by Reuters.
Negotiations are also likely to be held on the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. The pipeline will link Russia to northern China.
This is Putin’s 25th visit to China. “The two sides will take this visit as an opportunity to continue to promote the development of China-Russia relations to a higher level, which will inject greater stability and positive energy into the world,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said. Since Xi took power in 2012, the two leaders have met dozens of times.