After Trump, Beijing Prepares To Welcome President Putin

Days after Beijing hosted the POTUS, the Asian capital is slated to welcome the Russian President. In a statement released on Saturday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the diplomatic schedule stating “At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to China from May 19 to 20.”

Preparations for the visit are reported to have begun even before Trump’s visit attracted notice globally. In an official announcement, the Kremlin stated that the “visit is timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation, which serves as the basis for interstate relations.”

Sources, cited in South China Morning Post, said Putin’s visit is not likely to feature’ that scale of pomp’, with Trump’s trip keeping the Chinese officials ‘busy’.

Even as Xi highlighted the need of “constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability” with the Trump listening, Sino-Russian relations have been described officially as having attained their ‘highest levels in history.’

While seeking partnership over rivalry with America, China continues to strengthen its trade relations with Russia alongside stance alignment on major global issues. Diplomatic condemnation of US-Israel strike against Iran and the doubling of trade post 2020 being a case in point.

Putin’s last visit to China, in Tianjin, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was described by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV as “most stable, mature and strategically significant among major countries.”

Described by commentators as growing salience of Chinese diplomacy in the midst of global disruptions, Putin’s arrival is read along with other such recent visits in the Chinese media. The Asian power has hosted all leaders of the security council’s four other permanent members, starting with Macron in December.

Putin is expected to attend the opening ceremony launching the Russia–China Years of Education with the Kremlin's release saying the two leaders will “...discuss current bilateral matters, ways to further strengthen the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation...and exchange views on key international and regional matters.”