China, Russia Deepen Strategic Ties Amid Diplomatic Engagements and Regional Summits
China and Russia deepened strategic ties through diplomatic talks at the SCO summit. China offers Russia visa-free travel and economic support, aligning nations amid Western isolation.
BBC NewsRussia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping begin talks in Beijing
Al JazeeraXi welcomes ‘old friend’ Putin who lauds ‘unprecedented’ ties in Beijing
NBC NewsPutin hails friendship with China as Kim Jong Un joins show of force
ABC NewsXi and Putin reaffirm 'old friend' ties in the face of US challenges
Overview
Leaders Xi, Putin, and Modi engaged in separate diplomatic talks during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, highlighting significant regional diplomatic activity.
Putin and Xi held a trilateral meeting with Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, emphasizing Mongolia's strategic position between the two major powers.
China and Russia have significantly strengthened their ties since early 2022, with China offering economic support and 30-day visa-free travel to Russian passport holders.
China maintains a neutral stance on the Ukraine war but provides an economic lifeline to Russia through continued trade, despite Western sanctions and accusations of supporting military industry.
These diplomatic engagements occurred after the SCO summit and before a Beijing military parade marking World War II's 80th anniversary, attended by North Korea's Kim Jong Un.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story by portraying the meetings between Russia, China, and North Korea as a consolidation of an alliance of "aggressors" against Western interests. They emphasize China's role in bolstering the economies of Russia and North Korea, and Xi's ambition to project power, while highlighting the collective criticism of Western governments.