Xi Jinping meets with Vladimir Putin in Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, marking 25 years of Sino-Russian friendship. The meeting began with a handshake outside the Great Hall of the People, followed by a walk down a red carpet and the playing of their respective national anthems by a military band.

According to Al Jazeera’s reporting from Beijing, the visit is expected to focus on deepening existing coordination and cooperation between the two countries. Putin will be accompanied by a delegation of Russian businesspeople and government leaders, who will sign 40 agreements covering various sectors such as economy, tourism, education, and energy security.

The meeting comes just days after US President Donald Trump’s official visit to China. Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu stated that the tone of the two visits is distinct, with Putin having visited China 25 times prior to this trip. The Russian leader will likely discuss ongoing issues in the Middle East and Ukraine with Xi Jinping, as well as updates on their previous discussions.

The Kremlin announced that agreements covering multiple areas would be signed during the meeting. Specifically, energy security is expected to be a key topic of discussion between the two leaders.

Source: Al Jazeera