25th visit to China: Xi Jinping’s ‘old friend’ Putin to arrive on Tuesday

russian president vladimir Putin Trump will make a two-day visit to China on Tuesday, less than a week after U.S. President Donald Trump’s high-profile visit to the country.Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “Old Friend” visit is officially linked to the 25th anniversary of the signing of the 2001 China-Russia Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation.Putin’s last visit to China was in September 2025 to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Tianjin.What’s on the agenda?According to the official portal of the President of the Russian Federation, Putin and Xi Jinping are expected to discuss bilateral relations, ways to strengthen strategic cooperation between Russia and China, and major regional and international issues.The leaders of the two countries will also attend the opening ceremony of the China-Russia Year of Education (2026-2027).Following the talks, the two sides are expected to sign a joint statement and a number of bilateral and intergovernmental agreements.Putin also plans to meet with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang to discuss economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.How strong is the relationship between China and Russia?The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) quoted Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia and Eurasia Center, as saying that Sino-Russian relations are “extremely unbalanced.”“The relationship between the two countries is extremely unbalanced, and any agreement reached between the two countries is likely to be on China’s terms,” ​​Gabuev said. “Russia is completely in China’s pocket, and China can determine the terms,” ​​he added.Putin said before the visit that Moscow and Beijing were working together for “peace and universal prosperity,” Al Jazeera reported.Also read: Following Donald Trump, Putin will visit Chinese President Xi Jinping for two days on May 19