Putin and Xi sign 20 deals

During a two-day state visit to mark the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sino–Russian Treaty of Friendship, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping signed over 20 agreements ranging from trade and technology to cultural cooperation. Xi lauded the relationship as a “comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination” at its highest level, while Putin called ties “unprecedented.”

The deals included initiatives in film, sustainable trade, railway construction and joint education, reflecting deepening economic interdependence as China remains Russia’s top energy customer amid Western sanctions.

The summit came days after Donald Trump’s Beijing visit, with Chinese state media framing both trips as evidence of China’s global standing. Analysts noted Beijing’s dual-track diplomacy — courting Washington while reinforcing ties with Moscow — as a way to maintain leverage and balance. Both leaders criticised “unilateral hegemony” in veiled references to the US, with experts saying shared opposition to US dominance and complementary economies underpin the partnership, even as each side preserves room for manoeuvre.

While Xi pressed for an end to fighting in the Middle East, calling the situation at a “critical juncture,” he avoided urging Putin to halt the war in Ukraine. This selective approach reflects Beijing’s careful positioning — maintaining neutrality in rhetoric while providing economic lifelines to Russia. Western leaders, including Germany’s chancellor, voiced hopes Xi might influence Putin on Ukraine, but analysts see little chance of a shift given China’s strategic and economic calculus.

Putin’s visit featured red-carpet welcomes, a 21-gun salute and cultural pageantry, echoing but surpassing Trump’s reception days earlier. The optics reinforced personal rapport — including Putin using a 3,000-year-old Chinese idiom — and underscored the frequency of Xi–Putin engagements compared to US–China summits. Meanwhile, Moscow staged large-scale nuclear exercises during the trip, adding a backdrop of military muscle to diplomatic theatre and reminding observers of the broader strategic stakes.