Xi to Meet Putin in Beijing Days After Trump
SkimNews Take
Hosting both leaders sequentially allows China to project a neutral diplomatic stance while simultaneously strengthening its strategic partnership with Russia, signaling a nuanced approach to global power dynamics.
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- Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin exchanged congratulatory letters on Sunday ahead of the Russian president’s visit to Beijing.
- Putin is scheduled to arrive in China on Tuesday evening and meet Xi on Wednesday morning, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.
- Global Times noted that hosting the US and Russian leaders within a week is “extremely rare” and signals Beijing’s emergence as a focal point of global diplomacy.
- China has purchased more than $367 billion of Russian fossil fuels since the Ukraine war began, supporting Moscow’s revenue and Beijing’s energy security.
- Russia is urging China to advance the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which would add 50 billion cubic metres of capacity to their network.
- Joseph Webster of the Atlantic Council warned that Taiwan may be the subtext of the Xi‑Putin meeting and that expanded Russian oil deals could bolster China’s oil security in a Taiwan contingency.
Why it matters: China secures a reliable energy source and strengthens its strategic positioning, while Russia gains a major buyer for its fossil fuels, bolstering its war financing; the timing also amplifies Beijing’s diplomatic clout as it hosts both US and Russian leaders within days.
