Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to host Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Beijing less than a week after US President Donald Trump’s closely watched visit to China, placing Beijing’s balancing act on full display. As trade tensions, wars and global energy disruptions reshape international politics, China is seeking to project itself as a stable and predictable power. Yet welcoming Putin, while Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds on, also risks renewed scrutiny of Beijing’s increasingly close partnership with Moscow. By rolling out the red carpet for two heavily conflicted global figures within days, Xi seeks to project China as an indispensable, stabilizing superpower capable of managing relations with both Washington and Moscow.&nbsp;Putin arrives on Tuesday for what Chinese officials describe as his 25th visit to China, underlining the depth of ties between the two countries. China and Russia have repeatedly characterised their relationship as an ‘all-weather’ and ‘ironclad’ partnership, with Xi and Putin maintaining regular contact through meetings, calls and personal exchanges.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-russia-s-massive-power-of-siberia-2-gas-pipeline-dominate-xi-putin-talks-in-beijing-what-is-it-wion-decodes-1779175340632">Will Russia’s massive ‘Power of Siberia 2’ gas pipeline dominate Xi-Putin talks in Beijing? What is it? | WION Decodes</a>&nbsp;<h3>A partnership built on strategy and energy</h3>&nbsp;The relationship is underpinned by complementary interests: China’s economic strength and Russia’s vast energy reserves. Moscow has become increasingly reliant on Beijing since Western sanctions cut Russia off from many European markets following the Ukraine conflict. “The Xi-Putin summit will telegraph to the world that the China-Russia strategic partnership remains the cornerstone of both countries’ foreign policies,” Ian Storey of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, told Reuters, adding that any US attempt to divide the two powers was ‘destined to fail’.&nbsp;Trade between the two countries has more than doubled since 2020, according to the Mercator Institute for China Studies. More than 70 per cent of China’s imports from Russia are mineral fuels, while Russian oil exports to China have risen sharply since 2022. Energy cooperation is expected to dominate this week’s discussions, particularly the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. During Putin’s last visit in September 2025, both sides agreed to advance the project, although pricing disputes remain unresolved.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraq-oil-exports-through-strait-of-hormuz-plunge-from-93-million-to-10-million-barrels-amid-iran-war-1778925779784">Iraq oil exports through Strait of Hormuz plunge from 93 million to 10 million barrels in April</a>&nbsp;<h3>Beijing’s global messaging challenge</h3>&nbsp;While Beijing has regularly called for talks to end the war in Ukraine, now over four years long, it has never condemned Russia for sending in troops. Thus, it continues to present itself as neutral on Ukraine and insists it has not supplied lethal weapons to either side. “China says it strictly controls exports of dual-use items,” foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday. At the same time, Beijing appears determined to show that its diplomacy will not be shaped by Western pressure. According to AFP, &nbsp;Natasha Kuhrt of King’s College London described the summit as “a reminder to Washington that this is a solid relationship of 30 years-plus standing”.&nbsp;For Xi, the optics are carefully calibrated: projecting China as a force for global stability while preserving one of its most strategically important partnerships.

China and Russia have repeatedly characterised their relationship as an ‘all-weather’ and ‘ironclad’ partnership, with Xi and Putin maintaining regular contact through meetings, calls and personal exchanges.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to host Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Beijing less than a week after US President Donald Trump’s closely watched visit to China, placing Beijing’s balancing act on full display. As trade tensions, wars and global energy disruptions reshape international politics, China is seeking to project itself as a stable and predictable power. Yet welcoming Putin, while Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds on, also risks renewed scrutiny of Beijing’s increasingly close partnership with Moscow. By rolling out the red carpet for two heavily conflicted global figures within days, Xi seeks to project China as an indispensable, stabilizing superpower capable of managing relations with both Washington and Moscow. Putin arrives on Tuesday for what Chinese officials describe as his 25th visit to China, underlining the depth of ties between the two countries. China and Russia have repeatedly characterised their relationship as an ‘all-weather’ and ‘ironclad’ partnership, with Xi and Putin maintaining regular contact through meetings, calls and personal exchanges. ALSO READ: Will Russia’s massive ‘Power of Siberia 2’ gas pipeline dominate Xi-Putin talks in Beijing? What is it? | WION Decodes A partnership built on strategy and energy The relationship is underpinned by complementary interests: China’s economic strength and Russia’s vast energy reserves. Moscow has become increasingly reliant on Beijing since Western sanctions cut Russia off from many European markets following the Ukraine conflict. “The Xi-Putin summit will telegraph to the world that the China-Russia strategic partnership remains the cornerstone of both countries’ foreign policies,” Ian Storey of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, told Reuters, adding that any US attempt to divide the two powers was ‘destined to fail’. Trade between the two countries has more than doubled since 2020, according to the Mercator Institute for China Studies. More than 70 per cent of China’s imports from Russia are mineral fuels, while Russian oil exports to China have risen sharply since 2022. Energy cooperation is expected to dominate this week’s discussions, particularly the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. During Putin’s last visit in September 2025, both sides agreed to advance the project, although pricing disputes remain unresolved. ALSO READ: Iraq oil exports through Strait of Hormuz plunge from 93 million to 10 million barrels in April Beijing’s global messaging challenge While Beijing has regularly called for talks to end the war in Ukraine, now over four years long, it has never condemned Russia for sending in troops. Thus, it continues to present itself as neutral on Ukraine and insists it has not supplied lethal weapons to either side. “China says it strictly controls exports of dual-use items,” foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday. At the same time, Beijing appears determined to show that its diplomacy will not be shaped by Western pressure. According to AFP, Natasha Kuhrt of King’s College London described the summit as “a reminder to Washington that this is a solid relationship of 30 years-plus standing”. For Xi, the optics are carefully calibrated: projecting China as a force for global stability while preserving one of its most strategically important partnerships.

China and Russia have repeatedly characterised their relationship as an ‘all-weather’ and ‘ironclad’ partnership, with Xi and Putin maintaining regular contact through meetings, calls and personal exchanges.

Does hosting Putin help or hurt Xi’s bid to project China as a responsible global power?

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Beijing on Tuesday for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a time when energy security, trade and geopolitical rivalries are becoming increasingly intertwined. Coming just days after US President Donald Trump’s closely watched visit to China, the summit is expected to highlight the strength of Beijing’s partnership with Moscow. While both sides routinely describe ties as ‘ironclad’, one project is likely to loom large over the discussions, the proposed Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline. The pipeline has become central to Moscow’s efforts to redirect energy exports towards Asia after Western sanctions over the Ukraine war sharply reduced Russia’s gas business with Europe. For China, however, the calculation is more complex: securing long-term energy supplies while avoiding excessive dependence on a single partner.&nbsp;<h3>What exactly is Power of Siberia 2?</h3>&nbsp;Power of Siberia 2 is a proposed 2,600-kilometre cross-border gas pipeline designed to transport 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) of Russian natural gas annually to China through Mongolia. Unlike the existing Power of Siberia 1 pipeline, which began operations in 2019 and carries gas from eastern Siberian fields to China, the new route would draw supplies from the Yamal fields in western Siberia, reserves that once largely served European markets before sanctions linked to the Ukraine war disrupted Russia’s energy trade with Europe.&nbsp;During Putin and Xi’s meeting in September 2025, both sides agreed to raise the annual capacity of Power of Siberia 1 from 38 bcm to 44 bcm. Russian energy giant Gazprom, which is leading the Power of Siberia 2 project, began feasibility studies in 2020 and announced a legally binding 30-year supply memorandum last year. However, the project has remained stalled over disagreements on pricing. Putin said in September that gas supplied through the pipeline would be priced using a market-based formula similar to the mechanism previously used for Russian gas exports to Europe.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/record-voter-turnout-and-rising-elector-numbers-seen-across-bengal-tamil-nadu-kerala-and-assam-eci-data-shows-1778932204555">Record electoral participation seen across Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam &amp; Puducherry in recent elections: ECI</a>&nbsp;<h3>Why the pipeline matters to Russia</h3>&nbsp;For Moscow, the project carries both economic and strategic significance. China has already become the world’s largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels, cushioning Russia from the impact of Western sanctions. “In principle, we have reached a high degree of consensus regarding the taking of a serious — indeed, very substantial — step forward in our cooperation within the oil and gas sectors,” Putin told reporters on May 9, according to Reuters.&nbsp;In September 2025, AFP reported that Gazprom chief Alexei Miller described the agreement as ‘a very important step’ towards deepening the Russia-China strategic partnership and expanding ‘reliable supplies of clean energy’. Russia also agreed ⁠in 2025 to boost oil supplies to China via Kazakhstan by an additional 2.5 million metric tonnes annually.&nbsp;

Xi-Putin meeting in 2023

&nbsp;<h3>China’s balancing act</h3>&nbsp;Despite closer ties with Moscow, Beijing has avoided relying too heavily on Russian energy. Analysts say China continues to prioritise supply diversification. China is simultaneously discussing energy arrangements with Turkmenistan, which already supplies large volumes of gas to the Chinese market. A fourth pipeline proposed in 2014, from Turkmenistan’s giant Galkynysh gas field ⁠to northwest China, has itself faced years of delays over pricing disputes and logistical complexities involving Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the countries through which the pipeline would pass.&nbsp;ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-restricts-imports-of-two-types-of-silver-bars-with-immediate-effect-1778942317825">India restricts import of two types of silver bars with immediate effect</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Other existing gas pipeline network</h3><h3>&nbsp;</h3>According to Reuters, China’s pipeline-based natural gas imports have risen steadily, reaching 59.4 million tonnes in 2025 and accounting for about 19 per cent of domestic consumption. The country currently receives gas through five major pipelines linking it to Central Asia, Russia and Myanmar. Three pipelines from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, via Kazakhstan, supply over 40 billion cubic metres annually. The Myanmar-China Gas Pipeline has operated since 2013, while Russia and China are also building a separate 10 bcm pipeline connecting China to Russia’s Sakhalin island.&nbsp;<h3>Could the Iran conflict influence talks?</h3>&nbsp;Recent instability linked to the conflict involving Iran and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz have renewed attention on overland energy routes less vulnerable to maritime disruption. That could strengthen Russia’s argument for Power of Siberia 2 as a stable, land-based supply corridor into China. Yet experts caution that pricing negotiations could still take years.&nbsp;<h3>More than just an energy deal</h3>&nbsp;The pipeline is also a symbol of the broader Russia-China strategic partnership. Putin and Xi have met dozens of times, with the Kremlin increasingly viewing Beijing as its most important economic partner. This week marks Putin’s 25th visit to China, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry. As Xi hosts his ‘old friend’, the fate of Power of Siberia 2 may offer the clearest indication yet of how far the two powers are prepared to deepen their long-term alignment.

 While both sides routinely describe ties as ‘ironclad’, one project is likely to loom large over the discussions, the proposed Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Beijing on Tuesday for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a time when energy security, trade and geopolitical rivalries are becoming increasingly intertwined. Coming just days after US President Donald Trump’s closely watched visit to China, the summit is expected to highlight the strength of Beijing’s partnership with Moscow. While both sides routinely describe ties as ‘ironclad’, one project is likely to loom large over the discussions, the proposed Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline. The pipeline has become central to Moscow’s efforts to redirect energy exports towards Asia after Western sanctions over the Ukraine war sharply reduced Russia’s gas business with Europe. For China, however, the calculation is more complex: securing long-term energy supplies while avoiding excessive dependence on a single partner. What exactly is Power of Siberia 2? Power of Siberia 2 is a proposed 2,600-kilometre cross-border gas pipeline designed to transport 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) of Russian natural gas annually to China through Mongolia. Unlike the existing Power of Siberia 1 pipeline, which began operations in 2019 and carries gas from eastern Siberian fields to China, the new route would draw supplies from the Yamal fields in western Siberia, reserves that once largely served European markets before sanctions linked to the Ukraine war disrupted Russia’s energy trade with Europe. During Putin and Xi’s meeting in September 2025, both sides agreed to raise the annual capacity of Power of Siberia 1 from 38 bcm to 44 bcm. Russian energy giant Gazprom, which is leading the Power of Siberia 2 project, began feasibility studies in 2020 and announced a legally binding 30-year supply memorandum last year. However, the project has remained stalled over disagreements on pricing. Putin said in September that gas supplied through the pipeline would be priced using a market-based formula similar to the mechanism previously used for Russian gas exports to Europe. ALSO READ: Record electoral participation seen across Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam & Puducherry in recent elections: ECI Why the pipeline matters to Russia For Moscow, the project carries both economic and strategic significance. China has already become the world’s largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels, cushioning Russia from the impact of Western sanctions. “In principle, we have reached a high degree of consensus regarding the taking of a serious — indeed, very substantial — step forward in our cooperation within the oil and gas sectors,” Putin told reporters on May 9, according to Reuters. In September 2025, AFP reported that Gazprom chief Alexei Miller described the agreement as ‘a very important step’ towards deepening the Russia-China strategic partnership and expanding ‘reliable supplies of clean energy’. Russia also agreed ⁠in 2025 to boost oil supplies to China via Kazakhstan by an additional 2.5 million metric tonnes annually.

&nbsp;While both sides routinely describe ties as ‘ironclad’, one project is likely to loom large over the discussions, the proposed Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline.

Will Russia’s massive ‘Power of Siberia 2’ gas pipeline dominate Xi-Putin talks in Beijing? What is it? | WION Decodes

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Does hosting Putin help or hurt Xi’s bid to project China as a responsible global power?

Putin Heads to Beijing With a Giant Pipeline Plan, What is ‘Power of Siberia 2’?