Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a brief meeting in Beijing, highlighting the close relationship the two leaders have cultivated since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Xi welcomed Putin at the Great Hall of the People, referring to him as an “old friend.”
According to state media, Xi stated that “China-Russia relations have withstood the test of changing international circumstances,” citing them as “a model of relations between neighboring countries, of global strategic coordination, and of mutually beneficial cooperation.”
Putin thanked his “dear friend” Xi Jinping for the “warm hospitality” in China. The Kremlin leader declared that bilateral ties had reached “unprecedented levels” during his opening remarks. “Our close communication reflects the strategic nature of Russian-Chinese relations, which are at their highest level in history,” Putin added. “We have always been together in the past and we will be in the future.”
Earlier in the day, Xi held separate bilateral meetings with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Subsequently, talks with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh evolved into a trilateral meeting with the inclusion of Putin.
This three-way discussion was closely watched for potential progress on unblocking the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project. The proposed pipeline, which would more than double the capacity for Russian gas exports to China, includes a planned section running through Mongolian territory, though Beijing has previously expressed reservations about the plan.