Putin arrives in Beijing for Xi talks: Chinese state media

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing late Tuesday for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the two leaders expected to underline the strength of Moscow-Beijing ties just days after Donald Trump’s high-profile China visit.

Putin landed at Beijing Capital International Airport shortly after 11:15 p.m. local time, where he was received with an official welcome that included a military band, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The trip follows Trump’s visit that concluded on Friday — the first by a US president to China in nearly a decade — which focused on efforts to steady often-strained ties between Washington and Beijing.

According to the Kremlin, Putin and Xi are expected to discuss ways to further deepen the Russia-China strategic partnership and exchange views on major regional and global issues.

Relations between Moscow and Beijing have grown closer since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Putin making annual visits to China since then.