Xi and Putin deepen ties

What's happened

Vladimir Putin has visited Beijing on May 19–20 to mark the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sino‑Russian Treaty. Xi Jinping and Putin have signed about 40 cooperation documents, extended their friendship treaty, and issued a joint declaration advocating a multipolar world while expanding energy and trade links measured largely in yuan and roubles.

What's behind the headline?

What happened

• Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have met in Beijing on May 19–20 to mark 25 years since the 2001 Treaty of Good‑Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation. They have signed about 40 intergovernmental, interagency and corporate documents and a joint declaration on "further strengthening" their comprehensive partnership.

What this signals

• China is treating Russia as a strategic partner: Beijing is hosting symmetrical ceremonial welcomes for US and Russian leaders while elevating Putins reception with a politburo member, signalling closer political status.
• The leaders are aligning diplomatically by advocating a multipolar world and rejecting "unilateral hegemony," which will harden an alternative diplomatic bloc to Western influence.

Economic pivot

• Trade is shifting toward deeper integration: leaders have said trade reached nearly $240bn last year and is growing; most bilateral transactions are now in yuan and roubles and China is expanding purchases of Russian oil and gas. A planned Siberia 2 pipeline will add 50 billion cubic metres of gas to China annually when completed.

Strategic consequences

• Russia will increase dependence on China for technology, manufacturing and energy markets, especially as Western sanctions are persisting. China will gain leverage over Russian access to dual‑use components and energy supplies.

Forecast

• This will increase pressure on Western efforts to isolate Russia economically because Beijing is institutionalising alternative payment and supply channels. The China‑Russia axis will continue to coordinate in international forums and will push for norms that reduce US influence. Expect more energy and technology agreements to follow and incremental moves to de‑dollarise bilateral trade.

How we got here

China and Russia have been deepening ties since Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Beijing is Chinas largest buyer of Russian energy and most trade is now conducted in yuan and roubles. Putins visit follows US President Donald Trumps state visit to Beijing days earlier and is timed to the treaty anniversary.

Our analysis

The coverage is consistent that the visit has been highly scripted and substantive. The Guardian (Pjotr Sauer) notes the choreography: Putins welcome mirrored Donald Trumps visit but with a higher politburo profile for Putin, which the Kremlin downplayed. Al Jazeera (Katrina Yu; Urooba Jamal; Al Jazeera staff) reports the leaders have said they will issue a joint statement advocating a "multipolar world" and describes a roughly 47‑page policy document; Al Jazeera also quotes Xi saying "The tide of unilateral hegemony is running rampant." Reuters (Ryan Woo) and The Moscow Times report that about 20 agreements were signed in the Great Hall with another 20 to be announced separately and that the leaders extended the 2001 treaty. On economics, Al Jazeera and The Moscow Times highlight trade figures — almost $240bn last year and 20% growth in early 2026 — and note that nearly all transactions are in roubles and yuan. Al Jazeera and Reuters flag Beijings crucial role as a buyer of discounted Russian energy and note Russian reliance on Chinese technology to circumvent Western sanctions (Bloomberg cited by Al Jazeera). The Kremlin and state media quotes (reported across AP, NY Post, SBS) emphasise energy cooperation and a planned Siberia 2 pipeline to deliver 50 bcm annually via Mongolia. Different outlets vary in tone: Western outlets (Guardian, Reuters) emphasise the diplomatic signalling and geopolitical implications; state‑linked and regional outlets (Moscow Times, Chinese state media as reported) stress partnership, trade deals and a stabilising role on the global stage. Direct quotes used above are attributed to the respective outlets in their reporting.

Go deeper

• How will the Siberia 2 pipeline deal change China's energy imports?
• Will increased rouble and yuan trade reduce Western leverage over Russia?
• How will the visit affect US‑China and US‑Russia diplomacy?

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