Chinese President Xi Jinping has issued a major warning to Donald Trump as he welcomed Russia’s Vladimir Putin this week. The Communist leader of the world’s second most powerful economy met President Putin in the Chinese capital Beijing today (Wednesday May 20).
The two leaders are expected to reaffirm strategic ties between Russia and China amid ongoing Western pressure over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Putin and President Xi oversaw the signing of more than 40 cooperation agreements in areas such as trade, technology and media exchanges. They stressed their growing trade, particularly in oil and natural gas, and declared themselves aligned on international relations.
The countries’ ties have reached “the highest level in history,” Xi said after the signing ceremony, speaking to members of the delegations and journalists. The two sides also agreed to extend a friendship treaty first signed in 2001. Putin told those in the room that “the driving force behind economic cooperation is Russian-Chinese collaboration in the energy sector.”
But in a warning to the White House, Xi, who also welcomed Trump to China last week, said what appeared to be a veiled threat to US actions in recent months in Iran and elsewhere. He said the world faces the danger of reverting to “the law of the jungle”.
American military action against Iran and the closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz oil route from the Middle East has caused alarm in Beijing as China relies heavily on fuel and gas energy supplies coming out of the Gulf region.
In February 2022, just weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China and Russia announced a “no limits” partnership during a trip by Putin to Beijing.
Beijing says it is neutral in the conflict, though in practice it supports Moscow through frequent state visits, growing trade and joint military drills. China has also ignored demands from the West to stop providing high-tech components for Russia’s weapons industries.
Putin invited Xi to visit Russia in 2027 and said he would take part in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November in southern China and both Putin and Xi continued to praise their close personal ties.
“My dear friend,” Putin said as he greeted Xi. “We are truly delighted to see you. We keep in constant touch, both personally and through our aides in the government.”
Xi also addressed Putin as “my longtime friend” at the start of their talks and said it was important to build upon “the foundation of mutual trust” between the countries. The two leaders have praised each other profusely in the past, with Xi at one point describing Putin as his “best and most intimate friend.”
Putin and Xi both need to use their close ties in order to prop up their images at home, said Willy Lam, a senior China fellow at the Jamestown Foundation.
Putin “needs to tell his countrymen and the world that Russia has China’s support in terms of buying its oil and gas and other tangible and intangible financial support,” Lam said.
