Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit China shortly after Donald Trump’s visit. Both countries have confirmed it. According to a report published in South China Morning post, Putin will stay in Beijing from 19th and 20th May. According to reports, Chinese President Xi Jinping personally invited President Putin.
🚨⚡️ Putin will pay an official visit to China from May 19 to 20 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping,” the Kremlin said. pic.twitter.com/bLdcXZd5CF
— RussiaNews 🇷🇺 (@mog_russEN) May 16, 2026This will be Putin’s first visit of this year. He is expected to hold talks with the Chinese President on ending the Ukraine war and a nuclear arms control agreement. He will also hold a separate meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, where discussions will focus on trade and economic cooperation.
This visit is being discussed in the Chinese media. It is being described as more significant than Trump’s. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), while Trump’s visit was more formal and ostentatious, Putin’s visit will be more serious and focused on strategic issues.
China is maintaining balance between America and Russia
Experts say Putin’s visit, after Trump’s, shows that China is trying to balance relations with both the US and Russia, especially at a time when global tensions persist over issues related to Ukraine and Iran.
Experts believe that China has the opportunity to strengthen its global role by negotiating with both America and Russia simultaneously.
Putin met Jinping for 40 times
Russian President Putin has visited China till then more than 20 times. Interestingly Chinese President and Russian President have met more than 40 times. The friendship between both the leaders is consider one of the strongest political partnerships in the world. After becoming president in 2013, Xi Jinping made his first foreign trip to Russia.
Putin has also frequently prioritized China in his initial foreign visits. Both leaders have publicly described each other as close friends and strategic partners.
According to the Kremlin, the two leaders have maintained not only formal diplomatic relations but also regular personal communication. In a video meeting in February 2026, Xi Jinping invited Putin to visit China, which Putin immediately accepted.
The two leaders are also frequently seen together at BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and Asia-Pacific forums. In international affairs, Russia and China have consistently presented themselves as supporters of a multipolar world order, in the face of pressure from the United States and Western nations. A multipolar world order means a world where power is distributed among several major nations, not just one.
China-Russia economic ties continue to strengthen
China and Russia have significantly strengthened their relationship in recent years due to shared concerns about US influence. High-level meetings have been held frequently between the two countries on issues such as defense, foreign policy, law and order, and economic development.
Trade between China and Russia has grown rapidly since the outbreak of the Ukrainian war. China has increased its purchases of oil, coal, and gas from Russia. China is also exporting cars, electronics, and other major commodities to Russia.
According to official data, trade between the two countries reached US$228.1 billion last year. Russia enjoyed a trade surplus of US$21.49 billion, a 55% increase from 2024.
However, Western countries have accused China of providing economic support to Russia during the Ukrainian war.
Power of Siberia-2 pipeline also under scrutiny
It is believed that this project may also be discussed at the upcoming meeting between Putin and Xi Jinping. Russia has long been trying to advance the “Power of Siberia-2” gas pipeline project.
This is a massive gas pipeline project being jointly constructed by Russia and China. Its purpose is to transport Russian gas directly to China, further strengthening energy cooperation between the two countries.
According to reports, this pipeline will allow approximately 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas to be transported annually from Russia’s Yamal Peninsula to northern China via Mongolia. This amount of gas could meet the annual needs of 150 to 200 million households.
There is already a pipeline operating between the two countries, called Power of Siberia-1, which supplies gas from eastern Russia to China and was commissioned in December 2019. The second pipeline will bring gas from western Russia.
Iran crisis and oil prices bring relief to Russia
The escalating tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran are now affecting the global energy market. The near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has raised concerns about oil supplies. This has also raised the risk of a global economic recession.
Experts say that rising oil and gas prices have currently benefited Russia. Russia has one of the world’s largest oil and natural gas reserves. However, due to the war in Ukraine, Russia continues to face economic sanctions from the United States and European countries. The impact of these sanctions continues to impact the Russian economy.
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Edited by: Bhoomi Goyal
