Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday, days after US President Donald Trump visited the Chinese capital, with the two leaders presenting themselves as a force for stability amid growing global tensions linked to Washington’s policies.
According to a report by The New York Times, the visit marked Mr. Putin’s 25th trip to China. During the meeting, Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin held talks over tea, reflected on previous meetings through photographs, and reaffirmed their close ties.
The meeting came less than a week after Mr. Trump’s Beijing visit, during which Mr. Xi reportedly warned the US president against mishandling Taiwan and urged him to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as China seeks to steady its relationship with the United States.
Unlike the more formal discussions with Mr. Trump, the atmosphere during Mr. Putin’s visit appeared noticeably warmer and more personal. The two leaders also signed joint documents criticizing several US policies while emphasizing their shared diplomatic alignment.
Speaking during the visit, Mr. Putin noted that the meeting coincided with the anniversary of a speech by Mao Zedong. He said Mao had, 54 years earlier, “called on the entire world to fight American imperialism.”
At the same time, the Russian president stressed that Moscow and Beijing were not working against other countries.
“We are ready to cooperate with everyone, including our partners around the world, including the United States,” Mr. Putin said.
Throughout the visit, both leaders projected China and Russia as steady global actors at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
