May 20, 2026 | 11:00 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that the relationship between Russia and China has reached an "unprecedented level," with bilateral trade growing 30 times stronger in the past 25 years. Putin revealed this during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.Speaking at the meeting as reported by Anadolu and quoted by Antara, Putin referred to Xi as a "dear friend." He also cited a Chinese proverb stating that "if friends have not seen each other for one day, it feels as though three autumns have passed."Putin mentioned during the opening of the talks at the Fujian Hall, Great Hall of the People, that the relationship between Russia and China has now "serve as a model of partnership.""Despite crises in the Middle East, Russia remains a reliable supplier of resources, while China remains a responsible consumer," he said.He also reaffirmed his intention to attend the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen in November and invited Xi to visit Russia next year.According to Putin, Moscow and Beijing continue to support "cultural and civilizational diversity" and respect each country's sovereignty development path.Read: Russia, China Deepen Ties With 20 Strategic Cooperation PactsClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
