On Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged congratulatory letters in anticipation of Putin’s upcoming visit to Beijing, scheduled for this week. This visit comes shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump concluded a significant summit in China, marking a busy diplomatic period for Beijing. Xi emphasized the strengthening ties between China and Russia, noting the deepening and solidification of their cooperation, as reported by Chinese media. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two nations.
Putin is expected to arrive in China on Tuesday evening, with plans to meet Xi the following morning, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. The agenda for their discussions includes various aspects of bilateral relations, notably the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. Analysts have remarked on the unusual occurrence of China hosting leaders from both the United States and Russia in such quick succession, a rarity in the post-Cold War era.
The closer ties between China and Russia have raised concerns in Western countries, especially after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Western diplomats and analysts suggest that China’s economic and diplomatic support has played a role in sustaining the ongoing conflict. Xi and Putin have met over 40 times, a frequency that surpasses Xi’s engagements with Western leaders. Since 2022, the trade between China and Russia has surged to unprecedented levels, with China purchasing more than a quarter of Russia’s exports. Chinese acquisitions of Russian crude oil have generated substantial revenue for Russia, aiding its war efforts in Ukraine.
China’s purchase of over $367 billion worth of Russian fossil fuels since the war began, as noted by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, has bolstered its energy security. This has become crucial following the Middle East crisis, which disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. In contrast, the Ukraine conflict and Sino-Russian relations were not prominent topics in Trump’s discussions with Xi last week. The Chinese statement briefly mentioned the “Ukraine crisis,” while the U.S. statement omitted it entirely. Instead, the discussions focused on trade, Taiwan, and Middle Eastern tensions, with Trump indicating China’s agreement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
During the talks, Xi cautioned Trump about the sensitive Taiwan issue, stressing the potential for conflict if mishandled. Trump left China undecided on whether to proceed with a major U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, a decision that could significantly impact Beijing’s ambitions regarding the self-governing island. Joseph Webster, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, suggested that Taiwan might be an underlying theme in the Xi-Putin meeting. Webster speculated that Beijing could seek additional fossil fuel agreements with Moscow to secure its energy resources in case of future conflicts. Russia, in turn, is encouraging China to advance the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which would significantly increase the energy flow between the two countries.