Kathmandu, May 17: Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to travel to Beijing, shortly after US President Donald Trump returns to Washington.
The visit comes at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and coincides with the 25th anniversary of a mutual cooperation agreement between the two countries, according to the Kremlin, cited by The New York Times.
The Kremlin said Putin will depart for Beijing on Tuesday for a two-day visit during which he will discuss key issues with Xi Jinping.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the trip would provide a good opportunity to share views shaped by Trump’s China visit and related exchanges.
In Beijing, leaders are expected to sign multiple intergovernmental and interdepartmental agreements, along with a joint statement.
Trump’s visit to China concluded on Friday, with discussions on US-China trade, Taiwan, and security, though no major announcements were made.
Putin has previously expressed hope that the US and China avoid escalating economic tensions or illegal sanctions following Trump’s trip.
Amid the Ukraine war and wider confrontation with the West, Russia has become increasingly dependent on China as its key economic partner.
China accounts for more than one-third of Russia’s imports and purchases over a quarter of its exports, while Russia’s share in China’s global trade remains around four percent.
However, analysts note that amid the Ukraine war and recent Iran conflict, instability in global energy markets has increased, making Russia’s energy resources more important for China.
Moscow is increasingly viewed as reliable energy partner for Beijing.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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