Chinese President Xi Jinping is beginning a state visit to Russia, where he will take part in the ceremonial events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. As reported by the Xinhua news agency, the Chinese leader is visiting Russia for the 11th time since 2013.
During the state visit, which will last until May 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the guest will discuss the main issues for the further development of the relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction between the two countries, the Kremlin press service reported.
They will also hold strategic consultations on current issues on the international and regional agenda. According to Russian President's advisor Yuri Ushakov, on May 8 the heads of state will discuss the "Power of Siberia 2" gas pipeline, touch upon the Ukrainian issue, and the issue of relations between Russia and the United States.
In addition, the signing of a solid package of bilateral intergovernmental and interdepartmental documents is planned.
The results of the talks between Putin and Xi Jinping will give a powerful impetus to the all-round development of relations between Russia and China, their all-round partnership and strategic interaction, said the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry, for its part, pointed out that the important agreements between the leaders “will deepen mutual political trust, enrich the content of strategic interaction, develop practical cooperation in all areas, bring even more benefits to the peoples of the two countries and even more stability and positive energy to the international community“.
The personal meeting of the leaders in Moscow will be the first in 2025. In January, Putin and Xi Jinping communicated via video conference, and in February they had a telephone conversation.
According to the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China, the volume of Sino-Russian trade in 2023 increased by 26.3% to $240.11 billion. In 2024, the countries set a new record - $244.81 billion.
Over the past five years, the volume of trade between Russia and China has more than doubled. At the end of 2024, China became Russia's largest trading partner for the 15th consecutive time. Russia is in fifth place on the list of countries that are China's trading partners, accounting for about 4% of China's foreign trade turnover. About 95% of payments between countries are made in national currencies.
Russia is the main supplier of oil and gas to China. In December 2024, the last section of the gas pipeline connecting Russia and China was put into operation.
China supplies cars, computers, smartphones and other electronics to Russia. At the end of 2024, Russia became the largest foreign market for Chinese car exports (over 1.15 million).
Ahead of Xi Jinping's visit, the Chinese Foreign Ministry noted that the leaders of Russia and China are resolutely developing relations between the two countries "in difficult external conditions" and against the background of "profound transformation of the international order". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled that relations between Moscow and Beijing are characterized by “unchanging good-neighborliness, comprehensive strategic interaction, mutually beneficial cooperation and common benefit“.
Russia and China coordinate their positions on various international and regional issues, advocating for "a multipolar and just world order and opposing hegemony". Moscow and Beijing promote the democratization of global governance mechanisms and closely interact within multilateral platforms such as the UN, SCO, BRICS and G-20.
“Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached a consensus that they will jointly preserve history, cherish the memory of fallen heroes, promote a correct view of the history of World War II, safeguard the results of the victory in World War II and the post-war international order, and safeguard international justice“, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
In February, Lavrov said that Putin planned to visit China in late August or early September, coinciding with the date of the victory over Japanese militarism and the end of World War II.
Putin begins four-day marathon of bilateral meetings with foreign guests ahead of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day. The Kremlin noted that this week the Russian head of state will have more than 15 full-fledged “bilateral“ meetings and several short conversations “on the move“.
On May 7, the Russian leader will talk with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and then he will talk successively with the leaders of Cuba, Mongolia and the Republic of Congo - Miguel Diaz-Canel, Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and Denis Sassou Nguesso.