Chinese President Xi Jinping has welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin as an “old friend” on Tuesday, as the two leaders opened a new round of talks in Beijing at a moment of heightened friction with the United States.
Putin, addressing Xi as “dear friend,” said on Tuesday Moscow’s ties with Beijing were now “at an unprecedentedly high level.”
The two leaders met formally before continuing discussions over tea with their top aides, underscoring the weight they place on their personal rapport.
The talks followed Monday’s Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, where Xi and Putin met alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other regional leaders.
On Wednesday, Xi is set to preside over a major military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
“We were always together then, we remain together now,” Putin said, invoking Soviet support for China during Japan’s wartime invasion.
Trade tensions with the US
Beijing maintains it is neutral on the war in Ukraine, but has become an economic lifeline for Moscow by sustaining trade flows despite Western sanctions.
US officials have accused some Chinese companies of aiding Russia’s military industry.
The SCO summit also highlighted shifting alignments: US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on India have nudged New Delhi closer to both Moscow and Beijing, even as Modi declined to attend China’s parade.
Ahead of their bilateral session, Xi and Putin held a trilateral meeting with Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, whose country sits strategically between China and Russia.
Putin stressed that the three nations are “good neighbours” with shared interests.
Mongolia drew international attention in 2024 when it ignored calls to arrest Putin on an International Criminal Court warrant during his state visit.
