Putin Arrives in Beijing as Russia and China Push ‘Multipolar’ Challenge to West

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing late Tuesday for high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as Moscow and Beijing prepare to advance a joint statement promoting what they call a “multipolar” world order.

Putin landed at Beijing Capital International Airport shortly after 11:15 p.m. local time, opening a two-day visit aimed at tightening Russia-China ties just days after President Donald Trump’s own trip to China. The timing underscores Beijing’s growing role as a diplomatic powerbroker while Russia, under Western sanctions over its war in Ukraine, continues leaning heavily on China for trade, energy markets and strategic support.

Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin and Xi are expected to sign roughly 40 documents, including agreements related to industry, trade, transport and construction. The centerpiece is expected to be a lengthy joint declaration calling for a new model of international relations and the formation of a multipolar world order.

The two leaders are also expected to hold informal talks “over tea,” a private setting where they are likely to discuss the wars in Ukraine and Iran, economic cooperation and broader tensions with the West.

Putin praised the relationship ahead of the meeting, saying ties between Moscow and Beijing had reached “a truly unprecedented level.” He also said trade between the two countries continues to grow and described the China-Russia partnership as a “stabilizing” force in global affairs.

For the United States and its allies, however, the summit will likely be viewed as another sign that Moscow and Beijing are coordinating more openly against the Western-led international order. China has repeatedly urged Western nations to abandon what it calls a “Cold War mentality,” while Russia has sought to portray its alignment with Beijing as part of a broader push against U.S. dominance.

Russia and China have deepened cooperation since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine isolated the Kremlin from much of the West. China has become Russia’s largest trading partner and the world’s largest buyer of Russian oil, helping Moscow blunt the impact of Western sanctions.

Energy is expected to remain a major item on the agenda. Moscow has long pushed for the “Power of Siberia 2” natural gas pipeline through Mongolia, a project that would give Russia a major new route to send gas to China after losing much of its European market.

The visit also comes as Beijing seeks to balance its relationship with Moscow while keeping open channels with Washington. The back-to-back visits by Trump and Putin have placed Xi at the center of great-power diplomacy, with China presenting itself as an indispensable player in global affairs.

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