[Financial News] Russian President Vladimir Putin will make a state visit to China on the 19th (local time) to show off strategic cooperation with Chinese President Xi Jinping once again. It has been only four days since U.S. President Donald Trump returned home from his visit to China on the 15th. As the China-Russia summit continues immediately after the U.S.-China summit, it is said that China is creating a diplomatic stage for dealing with the U.S. and Russia at the same time.
Considering the announcement made by the Chinese foreign ministry and Russia, Putin will arrive in Beijing on the afternoon of the same day, stay at a state guest house in Diaoyutai, and have a summit with Xi Jinping on the 20th. It is Putin's 25th visit to China.
The summit will widely discuss economic and energy cooperation, the war in Ukraine, and the reorganization of international order, along with overall relations between China and Russia. The recent contact between the leaders of the U.S. and China is also considered a major agenda item. After the meeting, China and Russia also plan to sign a joint statement and more than 40 documents on cooperation, which contain a common position on the international situation.
In particular, the two countries are openly offering messages that support each other's core security and sovereignty issues in a situation where strategic competition with the United States is intensifying. "Russia and China are ready to support each other on a wide range of issues, including national unity and sovereignty protection," Putin said in a video address released on the 18th, a day before his visit to China.
This is interpreted to mean that the two countries, each in conflict with the West over the war in Ukraine and Taiwan, will further strengthen strategic cooperation. China considers the Taiwan issue a key sovereignty issue, while Russia insists on annexing occupied territories in Ukraine.
Putin also explained, "The friendly relations between Russia and China enable the boldest plans for the future," adding, "The two countries are expanding cooperation in political, economic, and defense fields, and multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and BRICS are also continuing cooperation."
Energy cooperation is also one of the core agenda items. The Power of Siberia-1 on the China-Russia eastern route has been in operation since 2019, and the Power of Siberia-2 on the western route via Mongolia is also under discussion. If the project materializes, Russia's natural gas supply to China is expected to increase significantly. Analysts say that Russia, which is trying to reduce its dependence on the European market due to Western sanctions, and China, which is seeking to diversify its energy supply chains, are in sync.
China's state media have highlighted the strategic significance of China-Russia relations since Putin's visit to China. The state-run Global Times said in its editorial that the more turbulent the world is, the greater the need for China-Russia cooperation. The newspaper also described China-Russia relations as a "stabilizer of the world order," adding that China and Russia will move forward together no matter what changes occur.
Mature and stable China-Russia relations provide positive energy not only for the development of both countries, but also for improving global governance and sustainable prosperity in the world, China's ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said in an article by the People's Daily.
The two leaders will also attend the opening ceremony of the China-Russia Education Year after the summit. They are emphasizing the protracted relationship by expanding cooperation not only in diplomacy and security but also in social and cultural exchanges.
However, given that China is also seeking stability in U.S.-China relations at the same time through recent summits with Trump, how far it will raise the level of closeness with Russia is still considered a variable. Some analysts say that China is attempting a strategic balance to increase its bargaining power by using the Russian card rather than fully risking conflict with the United States.
Reporter Kim Kyung-min ([email protected] )
Russia and China may come to feel like pillars of support for each other.
Moreover, as the United States is increasingly pushing other countries away, there may be no better time for them to expand their influence.
It is possible that an alliance with greater influence than the United States could emerge.
