Russian and Chinese officials signed around 40 agreements during a two-day summit in Beijing. Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping watched as documents were signed covering trade, technology, media, education and tourism. The timing was significant because Putin arrived just days after US President Donald Trump had visited China.
The two leaders extended the 2001 Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, which forms the foundation of modern China-Russia relations. They also signed a joint declaration about building a "multipolar world" and a statement on deepening their strategic partnership.
In their joint statement, Putin and Xi criticized Trump's "Golden Dome" missile-defense plan, saying it threatens strategic stability. They also condemned Washington's approach to arms control as "irresponsible," pointing to the collapse of the New START treaty, which expired in February 2026 without replacement. The two leaders called American plans to position missiles near their borders "highly destabilizing."
However, one major project remained unresolved. The Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which would carry Russian gas through Mongolia to China, has been discussed for years. Despite negotiations, Putin and Xi could not agree on a construction timeline or gas price. Instead, they reached only "basic parameters of understanding" about the pipeline's route.
The summit demonstrated the deepening relationship between Russia and China, which became stronger after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.