Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for talks on Tuesday, highlighting a friendship underpinned by a shared suspicion of the U.S. and its domination of the international order.
Xi referred to Putin as “old friend,” while Putin, addressing Xi as “dear friend,” said their ties were at an “unprecedentedly high level,” The Associated Press reported.
Why It Matters
China is a major strategic partner of Russia and has supported its sanctions-hit economy with large-scale purchases of oil.
China says it plays no role in Russia’s war in Ukraine and has said it is open to playing a “constructive role” in resolving the conflict.
What To Know
Putin and Xi will attend a large Chinese military parade in Beijing on Wednesday, marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender and the official end of World War II in the Pacific.
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, will join them to watch the Chinese parade, when some of China’s most advanced weaponry will be put on display through the capital’s Tiananmen Square.
No leaders from the U.S. or other major Western countries are expected to attend.
Xi described China and Russia as “the key victor countries of World War II” during Tuesday’s meeting with Putin, according to Russia’s state TASS news service.
Putin and Xi attended a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the nearby Chinese city of Tianjin on Sunday and Monday, along with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other leaders, some of whom share a suspicion of the U.S. and President Donald Trump‘s tariffs.
At the two-day conference, Xi set out a grand vision of a multipolar world that he called the Global Governance Initiative, Chinese state media reported.
In a thinly veiled rebuke of the U.S., Xi said Cold War mentality, hegemony and protectionism haunt the world, and “global governance has come to a new crossroads,” the China Daily newspaper reported.
Xi warned against “double standards” and rules imposed by “a few countries,” stressing that the United Nations must remain at the core of global governance.
“We should maintain that all countries, regardless of size, strength and wealth, are equal participants, decision-makers and beneficiaries in global governance,” Xi said.
“We should promote greater democracy in international relations and increase the representation and voice of developing countries,” he said.
Putin also regularly casts the U.S. as an aggressive Cold War hegemon bent on containing its rivals.
What People Are Saying
Xi said in a speech to the SCO on Monday: “We should advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and make the global governance system more just and equitable.”
What Happens Next
China’s military parade on Wednesday will provide an opportunity for a symbolically important show of unity among 26 countries’ leaders, including Xi, Putin, and North Korea’s Kim.
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