At the center of global affairs, Xi keeps Putin waiting on the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin recently met in Beijing, highlighting their close relationship. This visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of a friendship treaty between the two nations. China's support for Russia, particularly in the context of the Ukraine war, has reinforced its role in global affairs.
- ▪Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have met more than 40 times since 2013.
- ▪The recent meeting marked the 25th anniversary of a friendship treaty signed in 2001.
- ▪China has been supplying components for Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping visit an exhibition by the TASS and Xinhua news agencies in Beijing on May 20, 2026. Photo taken by the Russian state agency Sputnik. ALEXANDER KAZAKO/RUSSIAN STATE AGENCY SPUTNIK, KREMLIN VIA AP Beijing has seen an exceptionally busy few weeks, with world leaders arriving one after another from all corners of the globe. This dynamic works in China's favor, reinforcing the central role of the "Middle Kingdom" – as China is called in Mandarin – in international affairs. Four days after US President Donald Trump's departure, and two weeks after the visit of Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, it was Russian President Vladimir Putin's turn to visit the Chinese capital, on Tuesday, May 19, and Wednesday, May 20.
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