Press statements following Russia-China talks

Photo: Kremlin.ru

Following the talks, Vladimir Putin and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping made statements for the media.

Beijing, May 20, 2026

Press statements following Russia-China talks.

President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping (retranslated): Mr President,

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, good afternoon. Mr Putin and I are delighted to meet with you.

This is the 25th time that President Putin has visited China. That in itself is evidence of the high level and special nature of Chinese-Russian relations. I would like to cordially welcome President Putin and all our Russian colleagues.

President Putin and I have just held in-depth, friendly and fruitful talks and a strategic dialogue on a broad range of vital issues. We have signed a joint Chinese-Russian statement on strengthening our comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction and on deepening our relations of good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation.

A large package of documents on bilateral cooperation has been signed in our presence. We will also publish a Joint Declaration on the Establishment of a Multipolar World and a New Type of International Relations.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Chinese-Russian partnership and strategic interaction. Over the past 30 years, our relations, toughened by wind and rain and keeping up with the times, scaled new heights, ultimately reaching a historical high of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction in the new age, and are justly regarded as an example of a new type of relations between major powers.

This year, we will also mark 25 years of the Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation between China and Russia. For many years, our countries have been unwaveringly committed to the principles of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting against other countries, as enshrined in that treaty. Firmly guided by the spirit of mutual respect, equality, honesty and justice, as well as mutually beneficial cooperation, we are making a great contribution to protecting international justice and shaping a new type of international relations. This is the key permanent factor in conditions of the largest transformation in centuries.

Friends,

Under our joint strategic guidance – President Putin’s and mine – relations between China and Russia have reached a new milestone. Both sides must keep pace with the defining trends of our time to promote peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, and strive to achieve higher-quality growth in the bilateral relationship.

First, we must strengthen high-level political mutual trust and act as each other’s strategic bulwark. Political mutual trust is the hallmark of China-Russia relations. It is enshrined as the fundamental objective and principle in the Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation, which President Putin and I have already jointly decided to extend. We must build on past achievements, break new ground, and continue to offer each other firm and mutual support on matters relating to our respective core interests and key concerns. We must also maintain close strategic dialogue and contacts at various levels, thereby steadily reinforcing political trust between our two nations.

Second, we must inject fresh momentum into high-quality, mutually beneficial cooperation and walk hand in hand along the path of national progress and prosperity.

In recent years, we have consistently been impressed by breakthrough development and remarkable results achieved in our wide-ranging bilateral cooperation. Indeed, our bilateral trade has now exceeded US$200 billion for the third consecutive year. Despite the challenging external environment, mutual trade grew by around 20 percent from January to April this year – an achievement that was by no means easy. We should seize this highly favourable momentum to deepen cooperation in aligning China’s 15th Five-Year Plan with Russia’s national development goals to 2030, make full use of the stabilising role of our energy cooperation, vigorously develop new growth drivers in the digital economy, artificial intelligence and technological innovation, and foster broad-based, mutually beneficial cooperation, both in scope and in quality, for the sake of our two countries’ national progress and prosperity.

Third, it is imperative to facilitate high-quality communication and exchanges among citizens, thereby laying a solid foundation for the China-Russia friendship for generations to come.

Underpinned by the dynamic development of China-Russia relations, bilateral cultural and humanitarian ties continue to deepen. Cooperation in education, culture, tourism and sport is advancing at full pace.

The China-Russia friendship enjoys ever greater support among young people, and our peoples are drawing closer, while fostering deeper mutual understanding.

President Putin and I have decided to hold the Years of China-Russia Cooperation in Education across this year and next, marking the tenth such interstate project, which we will launch immediately after this meeting.

Within the framework of the Years of Cooperation in Education, it is imperative to continue expanding bilateral student exchanges, strengthen ties and cooperation between universities and research centres, deliver more tangible results in professional training and joint research and development, and establish increasingly favourable conditions for the sustained development of China-Russia relations.

Fourth, it is essential to advance high-quality international cooperation and to reform and improve global governance. This world remains far from tranquil. The damage caused by unilateral actions and hegemony is unprecedented, and the threat of regression to the law of the jungle looms large. In this regard, I have put forward the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and four global initiatives, which have garnered broad support from the international community, including Russia.

As permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Russia will resolutely demonstrate a sense of duty as responsible world powers, safeguard the authority of the UN and international justice, and counter any manifestations of unilateralism and hegemony, as well as attempts to turn back the wheel of history, above all provocative actions aimed at denying the outcomes of the Second World War and reviving the signs of fascism and militarism.

We are ready to work shoulder to shoulder to shape a fairer and more rational system of global governance, walking the path towards the common good in step with the times. The great cause of China–Russia friendship, which answers the call of history and reflects the leitmotif of our era, will undoubtedly move forward with confidence, steadiness and resolve, yielding further bright achievements.

Thank you for your attention.

Photo: Kremlin.ru

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President,

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our dear friend, President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, and all our Chinese colleagues for the warm and cordial welcome extended to the Russian delegation.

This official visit is taking place in an anniversary year for Russian-Chinese relations: 25 years ago, we signed a vital interstate treaty of good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation, which provided a solid foundation for the all-round development of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction between our two countries.

Russia-China relations have reached a truly unprecedented level and continue to develop. At the same time, our relations are self-sufficient, do not depend on the current international situation, and can serve as an example of relations between nations in this age.

Regarding our talks today, they were held in a traditionally warm, comradely and constructive atmosphere. We held in-depth discussions on all key aspects of our bilateral cooperation. The joint statement we have signed following these talks outlines the priority spheres of our interaction.

We have signed a large package, or more precisely about 40 intergovernmental, interagency and corporate documents. Some of them have been signed here. Many of these focus on the further deepening of our economic cooperation.

I would like to emphasise that Russia and China are important trade partners for each other. In 2025, our trade reached nearly US$240 billion, and its structure has expanded, including due to high added-value goods.

Modern enterprises in both Russia and China have greatly contributed to the growth of mutual trade. Our coordinated actions to transition settlements between them, as well as between our countries in general, to payments in national currencies have been of great importance in this regard. As a result, nearly all Russia-China export-import transactions are made in rubles and yuan. In other words, we have actually created a stable system of mutual trade that is protected from external influence and negative trends in the global markets.

I would like to point out that Russia and China are actively cooperating in the sphere of energy. Our country is one of the largest exporters of oil, natural gas (including LNG) and coal to China. We are definitely ready to continue to ensure reliable and uninterrupted supplies of these types of fuel to the rapidly growing Chinese market.

After the successful completion of the cross years of culture, Russia and China are launching new large-scale intergovernmental humanitarian initiatives, such as the Russia-China Year of Education. Together with President Xi Jinping, as has already been mentioned, we will take part in the ceremony launching these thematic years. The programme of the cross years includes hundreds of diverse events: conferences and seminars, concerts, exhibitions and masterclasses, as well as Olympiads and competitions. The first of these have already taken place and have attracted considerable interest among students and teachers in both Russia and China.

Our country is also actively cooperating in the field of sport. A major highlight will, of course, be the 10th Russia-China Summer Games, which will begin this weekend in Kaliningrad. This is an excellent opportunity for many talented athletes to showcase their abilities.

Of course, cooperation between Russian and Chinese media organisations continues to strengthen friendship, trust and mutual understanding between our states and peoples. In 2026, we will mark the 70th anniversary of partnership between TASS and the Chinese news agency Xinhua. On this occasion, a photo exhibition dedicated to the history of Russian-Chinese relations has been organised here in Beijing.

President Xi Jinping and I have exchanged views on pressing international issues, following which a joint declaration was adopted confirming the shared fundamental approaches of our two countries. The key point is this: Russia and China are committed to an independent and sovereign foreign policy, act in close strategic coordination, and play an important stabilising role on the global stage.

We work together for peace and shared prosperity. In this spirit, Moscow and Beijing jointly uphold international law and the provisions of the UN Charter in their entirety and interconnection and cooperate effectively within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, BRICS and other international structures, making a significant contribution to addressing pressing global and regional challenges.

Russia supports the priorities of China’s chairmanship this year in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). We, for our part, will provide all necessary assistance for their practical implementation. I am confident that the upcoming summit in Shenzhen will be productive.

We will, of course, continue to closely coordinate our positions in other multilateral formats as well, including the G20, the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the New Development Bank. We intend to promote the alignment of integration processes within the Eurasian Economic Union and China’s Belt and Road Initiative, with a view to forming a Greater Eurasian Partnership.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

 The programme of our visit is extremely intensive. President Xi Jinping and I still have several important events ahead. However, I would already like to sincerely thank my friend, President Xi Jinping, and all our Chinese colleagues for their hospitality and for the excellent organisation of our work. I am confident that this visit and the talks will further strengthen Russian-Chinese friendship and contribute to the well-being and prosperity of our peoples.

Thank you.

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