Putin arrives in China

Beijing is the Russian president’s first foreign destination after his recent inauguration

Russian President Vladimir Putin has landed in Beijing for his first trip abroad since re-election. The two-day visit, which marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, will feature meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to a preview of the visit provided by presidential aide Yury Ushakov earlier this week, the two leaders will discuss both bilateral relations and various international organizations and structures, from BRICS and the Eurasian Economic Union to the UN.

“It is very important under the current circumstances that our partnership demonstrate it is resistant to any outside meddling,” Ushakov has said. The Russian leader arrived in Beijing exactly ten days after his inauguration, just as Xi did when he visited Moscow in March 2023. According to Ushakov, this was a deliberate gesture. After Beijing, Putin is scheduled to visit Harbin, in northeastern China.

About a dozen bilateral documents are expected to be signed during the visit, along with numerous commercial deals and regional agreements. Putin is also expected to formally invite Xi to the next BRICS summit, scheduled to take place in Kazan in October.