Xi, Putin Meet in Beijing Days After Trump Visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin with pomp and pageantry at the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday morning, less than a week after hosting U.S. President Donald Trump in the same venue.

Soldiers stood at attention as a military band played the Russian and Chinese national anthems. Children waving flags from both countries cheered “Welcome, welcome!” in Chinese before the leaders entered the hall.

The scene mirrored Trump’s high-profile meeting with Xi last week, when the leaders of the world’s two largest economies discussed trade, investment, the Iran conflict and Taiwan.

Talks between Xi and Putin began with a narrower format featuring fewer delegates to address sensitive issues, followed by a wider format meeting with full delegations.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who greeted Putin upon his arrival Tuesday evening, was also expected to hold talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

In his opening remarks, Xi said the two countries should assist each other in national development and revitalization, adding that the world risks reverting to the “law of the jungle,” according to Chinese state media.

Putin hailed the bilateral relationship as unprecedented and said Moscow remains a “reliable energy supplier” amid the ongoing Middle East crisis. He also invited Xi to visit Russia next year.

Xi stated that further hostilities in the Middle East are “inadvisable” and that a “comprehensive ceasefire is of utmost urgency,” state media reported.

Reciprocal trade and investment were likely top priorities for Putin, whose sanctions-hit economy is strained by the costs of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

As Xi prepared to host Putin, China’s commerce ministry confirmed Beijing would buy 200 Boeing jets and seek an extension of the trade agreement with the US reached in Kuala Lumpur last year, marking the first official confirmation of the order Trump mentioned last week.

The setting and manner of Xi’s encounters with foreign leaders often signal his regard for the guest. The optics and outcomes of his meeting with Putin drew added scrutiny coming so soon after Trump’s visit.

In contrast to the adversarial US-China relationship, Putin and Xi have demonstrated increasing warmth in recent years, calling each other “dear” and “old friends.” During their last meeting in May 2024, the two leaders appeared relaxed, shedding ties and chatting over tea in a former imperial garden.