Moscow, Russia – The Kremlin announced on Saturday that President Vladimir Putin will pay an official visit to the People’s Republic of China on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 19 and 20, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
This visit is of paramount strategic importance as it comes just days after US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing. It places the Chinese capital at the center of international diplomatic activity, which is reshaping global balances amidst complex geopolitical challenges.
A highly anticipated summit will bring together Putin and Xi Jinping.
According to a Kremlin statement, the Russian president is scheduled to discuss with his Chinese counterpart ways to strengthen the “comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation” between Moscow and Beijing. The statement explained that the two leaders will exchange in-depth views on the most pressing international and regional issues. The meeting is expected to culminate in the signing of a joint declaration outlining future cooperation between the two countries. In addition, a package of intergovernmental agreements will be signed.
Economic agenda and the opening of joint events
The visit’s program includes an expanded meeting between the Russian President and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, where they will discuss mechanisms for boosting economic and trade cooperation and removing obstacles to mutual investment. Putin and Xi Jinping will also participate in the official opening ceremony of the “Russian-Chinese Education Years 2026-2027.” This step reflects a desire to deepen cultural and humanitarian ties alongside political and military coordination. The last bilateral meeting between the two presidents was during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in September 2015.
Beijing and Moscow: Towards a multipolar world
Beijing considers Moscow a key and pivotal partner in its project to forge a new multipolar world order that ends unipolar hegemony.
Although China regularly calls for diplomatic dialogue and the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries—an implicit reference to the Ukrainian crisis—it has categorically refused to condemn the Russian offensive. At the same time, China has maintained its position as a neutral party in the conflict.
Conversely, China has become Russia’s most important and vital economic partner in countering Western sanctions. Beijing is currently the world’s largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels, including oil, petroleum products, and gas. This directly contributes to supporting the Russian war effort and ensures the stability of Moscow’s state budget.
