Russian President Putin traveled to China for a state visit on May 20 with his friend and counterpart Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which the two leaders accomplished what Putin characterized as “successful, intense, and fruitful work.”
Coming on the 25th anniversary of the Russia-China Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation (which the leaders renewed), the visit, and the Russia-China relationship in general, is an important intervention into an increasingly unstable world situation.
During a press conference following a series of one-on-one meetings between the presidents and larger gatherings of the high level delegations, Xi and Putin both underscored the importance of the meeting:
“Under President Putin’s joint strategic leadership and mine, China-Russia relations have reached a new milestone,” Xi Jinping told reporters. “We must embrace the modern era’s trend toward peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, and strive for the better development of China-Russia relations.”
“Relations between Russia and China have a stabilizing effect on global affairs,” Putin added. “Our close cooperation is especially important amid current international tensions.”
