On the morning of Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. During their joint meeting with the press afterward, President Xi emphasized that China and Russia should uphold longstanding friendship and be true friends of steel that have been through a hundred trials by fire; pursue mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, and be good partners that help each other succeed; uphold fairness and justice, and be defenders of the international order; and promote solidarity and coordination, and be leaders in global governance. The two heads of state signed a joint statement between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation on Further Deepening the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for the New Era, and jointly witnessed the exchange of more than 20 bilateral cooperation documents. These documents cover a wide range of areas – from global strategic stability and biosecurity to the digital economy and film cooperation – injecting new momentum into the development of China-Russia relations.
This marks the third interaction between the two leaders this year, and also President Xi’s return to celebrations commemorating the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War after a hiatus of 10 years. Since the beginning of the new era, head-of-state diplomacy has played a guiding role in steering China-Russia relations to operate at a high level and continuously achieve new progress, with the contemporary significance of the bilateral relationship becoming increasingly prominent. President Xi’s visit comes at the historic moment of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. This visit will not only elevate the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era to new heights and broader dimensions, but also carries the historical responsibility of upholding international fairness and justice and advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. In the face of unprecedented changes unseen in a century and a turbulent international landscape, China and Russia are injecting certainty and positive energy into an unsettled world through their strategic resolve and sense of historical responsibility.
As President Xi has stated, long-term good-neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation are distinct features of China-Russia ties. The past decade has witnessed not only significant upheaval and transformation in the international landscape, but also great leapfrog in China-Russia ties. Both countries are at critical stages of national development and are committed to the great goal of national rejuvenation. Grounded in shared interests and complementary strengths, their cooperation provides powerful internal momentum for the bilateral relationship. In this new era, China-Russia relations are more composed, confident, stable, and resilient.
In 2024, bilateral trade reached nearly $250 billion, setting a new record. The two sides are also seeing strong momentum of cooperation in emerging sectors such as technological innovation, automobile manufacturing, cross-border e-commerce, and medical devices. People-to-people and cultural exchanges, such as the co-produced film Red Silk, the joint talent training program between top universities, and the joint science and education center initiative, are deepening the friendship between the peoples of both nations. Today, the foundation of stability in China-Russia cooperation is more solid, and the driving force for progress is stronger. Any attempt to interpret China-Russia relations through the lens of “external pressure” or “short-term interests” is narrow-minded and ill-intentioned.
The logic behind the development of China-Russia relations is very clear. It aligns with the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples, as well as the direction of progress and development in the current era. It also carries the historical responsibility of being two major world powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council. The two countries have established a model of a new type of great power relationship characterized by mutual respect and win-win cooperation: non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party, while also not being constrained by any third party. Today, 80 years after the end of World War II, humankind has come to a crossroads of unity or division, dialogue or confrontation, win-win cooperation or zero-sum games. Against the backdrop of certain countries eager to form cliques and provoke confrontation, the China-Russia relationship, which remains steadfast despite external pressures and does not sacrifice the interests of other countries, is particularly precious. China and Russia support each other on multilateral platforms such as the UN, APEC, G20, SCO and BRICS, uniting the broader Global South countries and clearly opposing hegemonism and power politics. The independent, mature, and resilient China-Russia relationship has become an important cornerstone for maintaining global strategic stability and practicing true multilateralism.
“History and reality have fully proved that continuing to develop and deepen China-Russia relations is integral to carrying forward the friendship between the two peoples from generation to generation. It is an inevitable choice for both sides to achieve mutual success and promote their own development and revitalization, and it is also the call of the times for safeguarding international fairness and justice and promoting the reform of the global governance system.” Chinese President Xi’s profound assertion reveals the contemporary value of China-Russia relations. Standing at a new historical starting point, the continuous enhancement of the depth, scope, and resilience of China-Russia relations will undoubtedly inject greater stability into global peace and security and provide a stronger impetus for development and prosperity worldwide. GT
