Putin Returns to Russia After China Visit

(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin departed China on Wednesday, wrapping up a two-day state visit he hailed as "successful, fruitful and very intensive," during which Moscow and Beijing deepened their strategic partnership and took direct aim at what they characterized as a "return to jungle law" in global affairs.

Putin touched down in Beijing Tuesday night — his 25th visit to China — before sitting down with Chinese President Xi Jinping for wide-ranging talks Wednesday aimed at reinforcing bilateral ties and coordinating their stance against the US-led international order.

The visit yielded more than 40 signed agreements spanning economic cooperation, energy, transportation, and multilateral affairs. The two leaders also adopted a sweeping joint statement on deepening Russia-China relations, alongside a separate declaration calling for a multipolar world order and a new framework for international relations.

Putin and Xi used the summit to voice shared opposition to unilateral sanctions and the seizure of foreign assets, while condemning Israeli-US military strikes on Tehran as illegal.

Xi echoed Putin's upbeat assessment, calling the visit a "success" and describing the negotiations as "extensive," with "rich results."

25-Year Treaty Extended, Education Years Declared
The summit carried symbolic weight as well, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation — originally signed in 2001 by Putin and then-Chinese President Jiang Zemin — which both leaders formally extended. Putin and Xi also jointly declared 2026 and 2027 the Russia-China Years of Education.

The visit underscored the mounting economic interdependence between the two nations. Bilateral trade surpassed $240 billion in 2023, more than doubling pre-Ukraine war figures. China now absorbs approximately 50% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to 2024–2025 estimates.

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