China's moment? Putin heads to Beijing after Trump courts Xi
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- Putin traveled to Beijing in May 2026 to meet Xi, marking the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sino‑Russian Treaty of Good‑Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.
- Trump completed a state visit to Beijing days earlier, receiving a warm welcome from Xi, setting a backdrop for the Putin‑Xi summit.
- China is now Russia's largest trading partner, providing more than a third of its imports and purchasing over a quarter of Russian exports.
- Reuters reported in July 2025 that Chinese firms allegedly used shell companies to ship drone engines to Russian arms makers, a claim Beijing denies.
- Claus Soong of MERICS said Beijing is uniquely positioned as both the US and Russia vie for its partnership, while China does not need to tilt toward either side.
Why it matters: China supplies over a third of Russian imports and buys over a quarter of its exports; the summit cements Beijing’s role as a mediator in Ukraine and boosts its bargaining power with the US.
