Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing yesterday, for a summit that highlighted the countries’ rapidly deepening partnership. Meeting at the Great Hall of the People, Xi described China and Russia as “a prime example” of modern major-power relations, praising constant high-level contact and the pursuit of mutual benefit. The summit coincided with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the Shanghai Co-operation Organization meeting.

Putin called the bilateral relationship “highly strategic” and at “a historic high,” crediting shared leadership and history for the partnership’s strength. Both sides pledged to press forward with flagship projects and to strengthen their alignment in key international forums, including the United Nations and the G20.

After their talks, officials signed more than twenty new agreements covering energy, aerospace, artificial intelligence, health, education, and media. These deals reflect both countries’ ambitions to align their growth strategies and build economic resilience in an increasingly volatile world.

Significantly, the Beijing summit unfolded against a backdrop of rising tensions between China and the United States, giving new weight to Moscow and Beijing’s closer co-operation at a time of deepening global divides.