MOSCOW, RUSSIA — Russian President Vladimir Putin held a video conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, emphasizing the importance of advancing their strategic partnership. This conversation occurred just hours after Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States.
The alliance between China and Russia was solidified in February 2022, when both nations declared a “no limits” partnership during Putin’s visit to Beijing.
This announcement came shortly before Russia initiated its military operation in Ukraine. In recent months, Putin has also referred to China as a key ally, underscoring the deepening ties between the two countries amidst shifting global dynamics.
Speaking from his Novo-Ogarevo residency outside Moscow, Putin waved at Xi and addressed Chairman Xi as his “dear friend,” saying he wanted to outline “new plans for the development of the Russian-Chinese comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation.”
“I agree with you that cooperation between Moscow and Beijing is based on a broad commonality of national interests and a convergence of views on what relations between major powers should be,” Putin told Xi, according to a Kremlin video of the meeting.
“We build our ties on the basis of friendship, mutual trust and support, equality and mutual benefit. These connections are self-sufficient, independent of domestic political factors and the current global situation.”
During their video call, Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin as his “dear friend,” expressing optimism about the strengthening relationship between their nations. Xi voiced his hope that the partnership would reach new heights, according to a live Russian translation of his remarks.
The call took place against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration, where Trump reiterated his intentions to adopt a tough stance on China and discuss the possibility of ending the war in Ukraine with Putin. Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Trump urged Putin to negotiate a resolution to the conflict, emphasizing that the war was “destroying” Russia.
Facing distinct but interconnected pressures, Russia and China have increasingly aligned their geopolitical strategies. Russia continues its conflict against NATO-backed Ukrainian forces, while China confronts U.S.-led efforts to counter its expanding military and economic influence.
Both leaders share a worldview that portrays the West as declining, as China challenges U.S. dominance in areas such as quantum computing, synthetic biology, espionage, and military power.
The growing alignment between Russia and China reflects their mutual interest in reshaping the global order to reduce Western influence and bolster their positions on the world stage.
“We jointly advocate building a more just multi-polar world order, and we are working in the interests of ensuring indivisible security in the Eurasian space and in the world as a whole,” Putin said.
“It is safe to say that foreign policy relations and joint work between Russia and China objectively play an important stabilising role in international affairs.”
The United States continues to view China as its primary competitor and Russia as its most significant nation-state threat. Former U.S. President Joe Biden has highlighted the global challenge posed by “autocracies” like China and Russia to the world’s democracies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the strong economic ties between Russia and China, describing China as Russia’s top trading partner. Trade between the two nations reached $245 billion in 2024, according to Chinese statistics. Putin also noted that Russia ranks as China’s fifth-largest trading partner.
Energy trade remains a cornerstone of the relationship, with China being the largest consumer of Russian energy and Russia’s primary oil export market. Putin stated that the two countries are committed to advancing cooperation on nuclear energy projects, particularly in areas like fast neutron reactors and nuclear fuel reprocessing.
The deepening partnership between Russia and China reflects a strategic alignment driven by shared interests and challenges from the United States, as both nations seek to bolster their influence on the global stage.
