In First Trip Abroad After New Term, Vladimir Putin Arrives In Beijing For Talks With Xi Jinping: Here's What's On The Agenda

Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in Beijing on Thursday (16 May) morning for discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, aiming to strengthen the strategic alliance between their countries.

The Kremlin sees this visit as an opportunity to enhance the partnership between the two leading geopolitical challengers to the United States.

China and Russia announced their "no limits" partnership in February 2022, just before Russia's military action in Ukraine, which led to the deadliest land conflict in Europe since World War II.

This visit marks Putin's first international trip since beginning his new six-year term, highlighting the significance of his relationship with Xi.

In an interview with China's state-run Xinhua news agency, Putin praised Xi for fostering a strategic partnership based on national interests and mutual trust.

"It was the unprecedentedly high level of the strategic partnership between our countries that determined my choice of China as the first state that I would visit after officially taking office as president of the Russian Federation," Putin said, Reuters reported.

The leaders plan to discuss enhancing cooperation in various sectors, including industry, high technology, space, nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy.

They will also attend a celebration marking the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union's recognition of the People's Republic of China, founded by Mao Zedong in 1949.

The United States views China as its primary competitor and Russia as its major nation-state threat.

President Joe Biden has framed the global landscape as a contest between democracies and autocracies.

Both Putin and Xi perceive the West as declining, with China challenging US dominance in various advanced fields.

Putin will also visit Harbin in northeastern China, a city with historical ties to Russia. It remains uncertain if he will visit other Asian capitals after Beijing.

In recent years, China has strengthened its trade and military ties with Russia amid Western sanctions imposed on both countries, particularly on Russia due to the Ukraine conflict.

The West claims China has played a crucial role in helping Russia endure these sanctions by providing key technologies.

Putin's visit follows a trip by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing, where he warned China's top diplomat Wang Yi against increasing military support for Russia.

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov stated that the two leaders would have informal discussions on Thursday evening, covering topics such as Ukraine, Asia, energy, and trade.

Putin's delegation includes Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, and foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, along with Russia's leading CEOs.

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