By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin on Wednesday reaffirmed their countries’ close strategic partnership during talks in Beijing, as both leaders sought to project unity amid growing global tensions and shifting geopolitical alignments.
The meeting came days after US President Donald Trump visited China, where discussions reportedly failed to produce major breakthroughs on key international issues, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Opening talks at the Great Hall of the People, Xi described China-Russia ties as “unyielding” and said the two countries had continued to deepen political trust and strategic coordination despite mounting international pressures.
Putin, in turn, said bilateral relations had reached an “unprecedentedly high level” despite what he referred to as “unfavourable external factors”, in remarks widely viewed as a veiled reference to Western pressure and sanctions.
Xi also criticised what he called “unilateral and hegemonic countercurrents”, an apparent swipe at the United States.
Russia and China have strengthened ties significantly since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Beijing emerging as a major buyer of Russian oil and energy exports amid sweeping Western sanctions on Moscow.
Analysts said Putin’s visit could also focus on advancing discussions over the proposed “Power of Siberia 2” gas pipeline, which would transport Russian natural gas to China through Mongolia and potentially reduce Beijing’s dependence on Middle Eastern energy routes.
The ongoing conflict involving Iran and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz have intensified concerns over global energy supplies and shipping routes.
While Russia has sought to position itself as an alternative energy supplier to China amid instability in the Middle East, Beijing has continued to call for restraint and a quick resolution to the conflict.
During the talks, Xi stressed that further escalation in the Middle East was “inadvisable” and underlined the need for an immediate ceasefire.
Experts noted that although China and Russia remain aligned strategically, their priorities in the Middle East differ, with Beijing focused on ensuring stability in global trade routes critical to its economy.
Putin’s latest visit to Beijing also underscored the increasingly close diplomatic coordination between the two countries at a time when both face growing tensions with the West.