By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin in Beijing just days after US President Donald Trump concluded his own visit to Beijing, a development observers believe underscores the growing importance of relations among the world’s superpowers.
China and Russia had announced Putin’s two-day trip this week, which is his 25th visit to China, as further evidence of their “all-weather” partnership.
That is despite Western countries urging Beijing to pressure Moscow into ending its war in Ukraine.
In a video message released on Tuesday, Mr Putin said relations had reached “a truly unprecedented level” and that “trade between Russia and China continues to grow”.
“The close strategic relationship between Russia and China plays a major, stabilising role globally,” Mr Putin said in the message.
“Without allying against anyone, we seek peace and universal prosperity.”
By hosting foreign leaders, China is seeking to strengthen its image as a pillar of global stability, analysts say, in contrast to US struggles to end the war in Ukraine and its conflict with Iran that has disrupted global energy flows.
Analysts are of firm belief that the back-to-back visits of Trump and Putin reflect shifting dynamics in the international system.
Putin and Xi are set to discuss how to “further strengthen” Russia and China’s strategic partnership and “exchange views on key international and regional issues”, according to a Kremlin statement.
Their ties have deepened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Putin visiting Beijing every year since as his country is diplomatically cut off on the world stage.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss the construction of the major “Power of Siberia 2” natural gas pipeline from Russia to China through Mongolia, a land alternative to crude imported by sea from the Middle East, which Moscow is keen to get underway.
