Beijing, China – Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin began talks in Beijing on Tuesday, ahead of a massive military parade in the city marking the end of World War II.
Xi has embarked on a flurry of diplomatic meetings this week, including attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the northern city of Tianjin — a forum that China sees as an alternative to Western-dominated international cooperation.
The Chinese and Russian leaders criticised Western governments during the summit on Monday, where Xi slammed “bullying behaviour” from certain countries — a veiled reference to the United States, while Putin defended Russia’s Ukraine offensive and blamed the West for triggering the conflict.
Moscow and Beijing declared a “no limits partnership” weeks before Putin ordered Russia’s Ukraine offensive in February 2022. The expanded military and trade ties since have troubled the West.
China has never denounced Russia’s war nor called for it to withdraw its troops, and many of Ukraine’s allies believe that Beijing has provided support to Moscow.
It insists it is a neutral party, regularly calling for an end to the fighting while also accusing Western countries of prolonging the conflict by arming Ukraine.
Xi and Putin are in regular contact and held a phone call last month, with the Chinese leader saying he was pleased to see Moscow and Washington improving their relations.
In May, Xi visited Moscow for Russia’s May 9 celebrations of the World War II defeat of the Nazis.
China and Russia “have continued to deepen political mutual trust and strategic cooperation… and injected valuable stability and positive energy into an international situation full of interwoven turmoil,” Xi said during his visit in May.
Both leaders slam the West
Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin took turns Monday to swipe at the West during a gathering of Eurasian leaders aimed at putting Beijing front and centre of regional relations.
The Chinese leader also slammed “bullying behaviour” from certain countries — a veiled reference to the United States.
“The security and development tasks facing member states have become even more challenging,” he said in his address in the northern port city of Tianjin.
“With the world undergoing turbulence and transformation, we must continue to follow the Shanghai spirit…and better perform the functions of the organisation.”
Putin used his speech to defend Russia’s Ukraine offensive, blaming the West for triggering the three-and-a-half year conflict that has killed tens of thousands and devastated much of eastern Ukraine.
“This crisis wasn’t triggered by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, but was a result of a coup in Ukraine, which was supported and provoked by the West,” Putin said.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry urged China to work towards peace during Putin’s visit, saying in a statement from Kyiv they “would welcome a more active role” for Beijing to help find peace “based on respect for the UN Charter”.
Putin meanwhile praised Turkey’s mediation efforts in the conflict as he met Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
And Putin later met his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian, the Kremlin said, with the pair expected to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme.
‘Always insightful’
Earlier, leaders from the 10 countries — China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus — posed for a group photo on a red carpet.
Xi, Putin and Modi were seen chatting, flanked by their translators. Modi and Putin were photographed holding hands and held talks in the afternoon.
Russian state media reported the pair spent nearly an hour talking “face-to-face” in Putin’s armoured presidential car before an official meeting.
“Conversations with him are always insightful,” Modi posted on X alongside a photograph of them travelling in the car.
Before their meeting, Modi praised the “special and privileged strategic partnership” with Moscow and added that India wanted both sides in the Ukraine conflict to “find stable peace”.
‘Mutual trust’
The SCO summit kicked off on Sunday, days before a massive military parade in Beijing to mark 80 years since the end of World War II.
The member states signed a declaration Monday agreeing to strengthen cooperation in sectors such as security and economy, China’s Xinhua news agency said.
Xinhua added that the leaders also admitted Laos as an observer country, or “dialogue partner” — the summit already has 16 observers.
Xi held a flurry of back-to-back meetings with leaders including Lukashenko — one of Putin’s staunch allies — and Modi, who is on his first visit to China since 2018.
Modi told Xi that India was committed to taking “forward our ties on the basis of mutual trust, dignity and sensitivity”.
The world’s two most populous nations are intense rivals, competing for influence across South Asia, and fought a deadly border clash in 2020.
A thaw began last October, when Modi met Xi for the first time in five years at a summit in Russia.
Their rapprochement deepened as US President Donald Trump pressured both Asian economic giants with trade tariffs.
More than 20 leaders are attending the bloc’s largest meeting since it was founded in 2001.
Many of the assembled dignitaries will be in Beijing on Wednesday to watch the military parade, which will also be attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
A train carrying Kim passed into China early Tuesday, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, citing the North’s state-run radio service.
