CHINESE President Xi Jinping is scheduled to pay a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Beijing announced on Sunday.
The visit, which comes amid growing global uncertainties, including rising trade protectionism and unilateralism, is widely expected to underscore the vital role of head-of-state diplomacy in advancing the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.
China and Russia relations continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience and momentum. In 2024, bilateral trade between the two countries reached a record high of $244.8 billion, marking a 1.9 per-cent year-on-year increase – a testament to the enduring strength of their strategic partnership, according to the China Global Television Network (CGTN).
First Deputy Chair of Russia’s Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, Andrey Denisov highlighted that the strategic guidance of the two heads of state has been a critical factor in maintaining the steady and sustained growth of the China-Russia ties.
Presidents Xi and Putin have met over 40 times on various bilateral occasions over the last decade or so and their frequent, candid and strategic exchanges have become the cornerstone of the stable and evolving China-Russia relationship, CGTN reported.
At the beginning of this year, Presidents Xi and Putin held a virtual meeting to set the tone for the year ahead, and pledged to deepen strategic cooperation, promote national development and revitalisation, and jointly safeguard international fairness and justice.
President Xi emphasised his readiness to work with President Putin to guide the China-Russia bilateral relationship towards a new height and called on both sides to cope with uncertainties of the external environment with the stability and resilience of the China-Russia relations.
Commenting on the virtual meeting, an expert with China’s Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, Ma Youjun pointed out that the head-of-state diplomacy has ensured the China-Russia relations becoming increasingly mature, dynamic and resilient – injecting not only vitality into their partnership, but also stability into the broader international landscape.
This view aligns with the latest statement from China’s Foreign Ministry, which expressed confidence that President Xi’s upcoming visit will lead to deeper political mutual trust, enhanced strategic coordination, and expanded practical cooperation between the two sides.
“The important common understandings between the two presidents will bring more tangible benefits for the two peoples and contribute greater stability and positive energy to the international community,” the ministry stated.
By DELI-SHARON OSO
In Beijing, China
