Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed a joint statement in Beijing aimed at further strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership and deepening bilateral cooperation across trade, energy and technology sectors.
The two leaders also renewed plans for the long-delayed Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline project, though no timeline or final agreement was announced. Russian officials said both sides had reached a “general understanding” on the project, including the proposed route through Mongolia and the construction framework.
If completed, the pipeline is expected to transport up to 50 billion cubic metres of Russian gas annually to China from the Yamal gas fields, accounting for nearly 12 per cent of China’s gas consumption based on 2025 estimates.
The project had remained stalled for years amid disagreements over pricing and supply terms. However, recent reports suggested Russia’s Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corporation had signed a preliminary agreement earlier this week.
The announcement came as Xi and Putin held talks in Beijing and oversaw the signing of more than 20 agreements covering trade, technology and energy cooperation. The two sides also issued a declaration advocating a “multi-polar world order”.
In their lengthy joint statement, the leaders criticised what they described as “military adventurism” and unilateral actions by certain countries, in an apparent reference to recent United States actions in Iran and Venezuela.
The statement condemned “treacherous military strikes against other countries,” the use of negotiations as cover for military action, assassinations of sovereign leaders and attempts at regime change, saying such actions violated the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law.
Russia and China also reiterated their positions on the Ukraine conflict, stating that the “root causes” of the war must be addressed — language frequently used by the Kremlin to justify its invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, the statement stressed respect for the UN Charter, reflecting Beijing’s continued effort to avoid explicitly endorsing the war.
International media reported that analysts noted that while the meeting underscored growing coordination between Moscow and Beijing, it produced few major breakthroughs beyond reaffirming existing strategic positions.
The two countries continue to describe their relationship as a flexible strategic partnership rather than a formal military alliance. Despite differences on some issues, both sides have increasingly projected themselves as advocates of an alternative international order amid growing geopolitical tensions and uncertainty surrounding global leadership.
For Russia, deeper energy cooperation with China has become increasingly important as Western sanctions continue to pressure its economy. China remains Russia’s largest trading partner and a key buyer of Russian oil and gas exports.
