Putin meets Xi: Why Russia and China need each other
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- Putin arrived in China on Tuesday evening for a two‑day visit, meeting Xi Jinping to mark the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Treaty of Good‑Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.
- Trump left Beijing just a day before Putin's arrival after a two‑day trip to meet Xi, a timing analysts say underscores Beijing’s strategy to position itself as a stabilizing actor amid U.S. policy unpredictability.
- China has deepened its partnership with Russia as a reliable overland energy supplier, citing disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz and heightened tensions with Iran as drivers.
- Iran's mounting tensions have helped accelerate Russia‑China cooperation, analysts note, as Hormuz disruptions threaten energy flows.
Why it matters: China turns to Russia for overland energy, lessening exposure to the volatile Strait of Hormuz; Russia gains a vital export market, while U.S. and EU sanctions lose a key enforcement lever.
