Putin and Xi hold talks in Beijing: LIVE UPDATES, VIDEOS

The Russian president’s official visit reinforces what both sides have described as a “no-limits” relationship

Published 20 May, 2026 02:53 | Updated 20 May, 2026 04:21

Putin and Xi hold talks in Beijing: LIVE UPDATES, VIDEOS

Chinese President Xi Jinping has hosted an official welcoming ceremony for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday, opening a packed day of talks and events aimed at further deepening ties between the two countries.

Putin arrived in the Chinese capital on Tuesday night for a two-day official visit at Xi’s invitation. The trip coincides with the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Russia-China Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, a landmark document that laid the foundation for their strategic relationship.

The Russian leader’s schedule in Beijing includes one-on-one and expanded-format talks with Xi, and several events highlighting the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of Moscow-Beijing relations.

Putin is accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes senior Kremlin officials, government ministers, and the heads of major Russian companies and financial institutions, including Kremlin investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, and Russian space chief Dmitry Bakanov.

The agenda is expected to cover trade, energy, security, investment, technological cooperation, and global affairs. Around 40 bilateral documents are expected to be signed during the visit, including a joint statement on deepening comprehensive strategic ties between Moscow and Beijing.

In a video address to the people of China ahead of the trip, Putin described Moscow and Beijing as a stabilizing force in global politics that seeks “peace and universal prosperity.”

Follow our live coverage below for continuous updates.

20 May 2026
04:23 GMT
Xi and Putin have agreed to extend the Russia-China Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, Xinhua reported. The treaty, first signed 25 years ago, has been described by both sides as the foundation of their strategic relationship.
04:11 GMT
Putin said visa-free travel between Russia and China, introduced at Xi’s initiative, has given an additional boost to humanitarian contacts and will continue. He also said cooperation between Moscow and Beijing in foreign policy is one of the main stabilizing factors on the international stage, as the two countries work to defend cultural and civilizational diversity, respect for sovereign development, and a more just democratic world order.
“In the current tense international situation, our close coordination is especially in demand,” Putin said.
03:55 GMT
Putin and Xi shook hands again for journalists inside the Great Hall of the People, with no apparent awkward tug-of-war moment, unlike the Chinese leader’s recent handshake with US President Donald Trump.
03:53 GMT
Xi Jinping said Russia and China are bravely and courageously defending international justice together.
03:46 GMT
Putin invited his “dear friend” Xi to visit Russia next year and said he was ready to take part in the APEC summit in Shenzhen this autumn.
03:40 GMT
Putin said Russia remains a reliable supplier of energy resources despite the crisis in the Middle East, adding that bilateral cooperation with China continues to show “good momentum” despite unfavorable external factors. Trade between Russia and China has grown more than 30-fold over the past 25 years, Putin said during talks with Xi.
03:38 GMT
Putin, in turn, quoted a Chinese proverb: “We haven’t seen each other for a day, but it feels as if three autumns have passed.”
03:35 GMT
Xi Jinping called Putin his “dear friend” and said Russia and China are shaping the future of bilateral ties on the basis of mutual benefit and respect.
03:32 GMT
Putin and Xi have begun talks in Beijing with a narrow group of delegation members present.
03:30 GMT
Children waving Russian and Chinese flags greeted Putin and Xi as the two leaders walked to the Great Hall of the People while the orchestra performed Moscow Nights.

20 May 2026
02:54 GMT
READ MORE: Putin arrives in China (VIDEO)

President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday night for a two-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Russian leader’s plane was met on the tarmac by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, along with an honor guard and a group of children waving Russian and Chinese flags.
Footage from the airport showed members of the honor guard arriving on motorcycles ahead of Putin’s plane, before the Russian president stepped onto the red carpet and was greeted by Chinese officials.
The visit is expected to focus on bilateral ties, trade, energy, security, and global affairs, with around 40 joint documents due to be signed during Putin’s stay in China.
03:01 GMT
Final preparations underway at the Great Hall of the People ahead of Putin-Xi summit in Beijing, RT’s correspondent Don Courter reports from the scene.
03:02 GMT
Putin is accompanied in Beijing by a high-level delegation that reflects the breadth of the visit’s agenda, including senior Kremlin officials, government ministers, and the heads of major Russian companies and financial institutions.
The delegation includes First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Deputy Prime Ministers Tatyana Golikova and Aleksandr Novak, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, Kremlin investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Bakanov, Rosneft head Igor Sechin, and Gazprom CEO Aleksey Miller, along with other representatives of government bodies and major Russian businesses.
03:07 GMT
Chinese President Xi Jinping is holding an official welcome ceremony for Russian President Vladimir Putin outside the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.
The ceremony marks the formal start of Putin’s program in the Chinese capital after he arrived the previous night for a two-day official visit at Xi’s invitation. The two leaders are expected to hold one-on-one and expanded-format talks later in the day, with the agenda set to include bilateral ties, trade, energy, security, technology, and major international issues.
03:19 GMT
Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged handshakes as the ceremony got underway.
03:20 GMT
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping greeted members of each other’s delegations during the official welcome ceremony in Beijing.
Putin shook hands with Chinese officials, while Xi, with Putin by his side, greeted members of the Russian delegation. Footage from the ceremony showed broad smiles and a warm atmosphere as the two sides exchanged greetings.
03:28 GMT
The Russian anthem resounded across Tiananmen Square to the sound of cannon fire as Putin and Xi stood side by side during the official welcome ceremony in Beijing.
03:30 GMT
Children waving Russian and Chinese flags greeted Putin and Xi as the two leaders walked to the Great Hall of the People while the orchestra performed Moscow Nights.
03:32 GMT
Putin and Xi have begun talks in Beijing with a narrow group of delegation members present.
03:35 GMT
Xi Jinping called Putin his “dear friend” and said Russia and China are shaping the future of bilateral ties on the basis of mutual benefit and respect.