KEY POINTS
- Xi and Putin met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
- Both leaders hailed ties as at an “unprecedented” high.
- Visa-free entry for Russian tourists until Sept 2026.
- Gazprom signed a legally binding gas pipeline deal with China.
- Xi says China-Russia partnership is a “model for relations between major countries”.
- Putin praises Xi’s vision of global governance as urgently needed.
- Meeting comes on the eve of the 80th WWII anniversary parade in Tiananmen Square.
BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday cast their countries’ “unprecedented” partnership as stronger than ever, invoking Beijing and Moscow’s shared role as victors of World War II while pledging closer alignment in the face of global tensions.
Meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the two leaders held formal talks, shared tea, and attended a state banquet in a display of camaraderie.
Xi described the relationship as having “withstood the test of a changing international situation and set an example for relations between major countries.”
Likewise, Putin described the ties with China at an “unprecedented” level.
Both leaders drew on wartime history, with Xi praising the Soviet Union and China as the “main victors” of the conflict, determined to safeguard that legacy by pushing for his vision of a “more just and equitable” international system.
Putin, addressing Xi as a “dear friend,” said the victory underscored their nations’ commitment to “historical truth and justice,” adding: “We were together then, we remain together now.”
The summit produced tangible announcements, including China’s decision to grant visa-free entry to Russian tourists through September 2026 and Moscow’s claim that its energy giant Gazprom had signed a legally binding deal to build a long-awaited gas pipeline to China.
While Beijing’s Foreign Ministry declined to confirm the pipeline accord, analysts said the two sides were deepening their energy and economic interdependence as Western sanctions continue to isolate Russia.
President Xi Jinping held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing.
The China-Russia relationship, having stood the test of changes in the world, has become a prime example of relations between two major countries featuring everlasting good-neighborliness and… pic.twitter.com/oacQ68PQL3
— Mao Ning 毛宁 (@SpoxCHN_MaoNing) September 2, 2025
Xi signalled Beijing would continue close coordination with Moscow on key international issues. At the same time, Putin praised China’s approach to global governance, remarking that such leadership was “urgently needed” at a time of deficit.
The meeting was held on the eve of a military parade in Tiananmen Square marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, where Putin is expected to join Xi as a guest of honour in a symbolic continuation of their wartime narrative.
Putin lavished praise on his Chinese hosts, adding that the possibility of rain during the parade on Wednesday would not affect the celebrations.
“The Chinese military will carry out this festive, solemn event with their usual brilliance,” he said.
Russia’s large delegation in Beijing — including deputy prime ministers, cabinet ministers, and heads of leading energy, defence, and finance firms — underscored the importance Moscow attaches to ties with China at a time of international isolation.
The head of Russia’s central bank, Elvira Nabiullina, and of Russia’s main state broadcasting company, Oleg Dobrodeyev, were there as well, according to a roster published by the Kremlin.
