Putin to visit China as Moscow and Beijing deepen strategic axis
The planned summit, treaty renewal and energy coordination signal tightening Russia-China ties amid global instability and Middle East turmoil.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China in the first half of the year, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday, as Moscow and Beijing move to reinforce their strategic partnership.
Lavrov, speaking after a two-day visit to Beijing, said preparations are under way for the trip, which is expected to include renewing the Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship signed in 2001.
Russian media reports suggest the visit could take place in May, though details remain under discussion.
Strategic ties and summit agenda
Lavrov said both sides are working to shape the summit’s agenda, with a focus on expanding cooperation in areas such as education, alongside broader political and economic coordination.
The visit comes in a milestone year marking 30 years of China-Russia strategic partnership and 25 years since the friendship treaty was signed — key pillars of increasingly close ties between the two powers.
Energy and geopolitics converge
During his trip to China, Lavrov met Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as Beijing hosted a wave of global leaders amid the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict.
Lavrov said Russia could help “compensate” for China’s energy shortages as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz strain global supply, positioning Moscow as a key partner in securing Beijing’s energy needs.
Trade between the two countries has surged in recent years, reaching about $220 billion last year, underscoring the growing economic dimension of the relationship.