Vladimir Putin has arrived in China for a two-day state visit, the first since the start of his fifth term as president. The trip began in Beijing, where Putin met with Chinese premier Xi Jinping for the first of several talks.
There remained a distinct sense that once again Putin has come to Beijing with begging bowl in hand
The meeting began with the effusive pleasantries that have become a standard part of any interaction between the two leaders. Putin called Xi a ‘dear friend’ once again and said he had chosen to make his first post-inauguration trip abroad to China to return a favour, after Xi travelled to Russia for the first trip of his new term in 2023. Though less gushing, Xi reciprocated, stating that Russia and China ‘firmly uphold the UN-centric international system, a world order based on international law’.
The Russian president also stated that ‘relations between Russia and China are not opportunistic and are not directed against anyone’.
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