Putin arrives in China for Xi talks with gas project on agenda

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing late Tuesday (May 19), aiming to reinforce ties with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and make progress on a long-stalled energy project.

After being greeted by Chinese children waving Russian flags, Putin entered a Russian-made Aurus limousine with Chinese plates that waited for him on the tarmac. He headed for the Diaoyutai residence, a state guesthouse usually reserved for visiting foreign leaders, according to Interfax. China’s Foreign Ministry said that it was the Russian leader’s 25th visit to the country.

Putin and Xi, who share a strong bond and a common desire for a multipolar world order to challenge US global dominance, will hold talks on Wednesday and also take tea together.

Formally timed to mark the 25th anniversary of a friendship and cooperation treaty between Russia and China, Putin’s visit comes hard on the heels of Xi’s summit with US President Donald Trump in Beijing last week.

The planned discussion over tea “is one of the most important events of the visit”, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Monday. “We, like our Chinese friends, are interested in this tea meeting lasting as long as possible.”

Topics on the agenda at the talks between Russia and China include the planned Power of Siberia 2 pipeline project, according to the Kremlin. The two sides plan to sign approximately 40 documents, according to Ushakov.

Among the results that will probably come out of the summit is a joint statement on further strengthening the partnership and strategic cooperation between China and Russia, Tass reported. Besides his planned discussions with Xi, Putin will also hold separate talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Russia hopes the turmoil in energy markets from the Middle East conflict and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz will make China more flexible in negotiations on a contract for gas prices for the project.

Chinese state media highlighted potential areas for cooperation from energy, agriculture, science and tech to space and artificial intelligence. Top Russian government officials and heads of major companies from Gazprom to Rosatom and Roscosmos are part of the visiting delegation.

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People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s mouthpiece, noted bilateral ties are “at the best” in history in an editorial on Monday, adding that international turbulence meant both sides should further “strengthen strategic coordination and comprehensive cooperation”.

Putin, in a video address ahead of his visit, said relations between Russia and China had reached a “truly unprecedented level”, describing Xi as “my longtime good friend”. BLOOMBERG