Russia's President Vladimir Putin, left, and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands during a signing ceremony following their talks in Beijing, May 20, in this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik. AFP-Yonhap
Days after U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit framed around managing risks, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached a raft of agreements and pledged deeper cooperation as they met in Beijing.
An analyst in China captured the stark contrast between the two visits as a clear choice between pomp and pragmatism.
“Over these 30 years, our relations, tempered by wind and rain, have risen to ever new heights, following the dictates of the times,” Xi said after the summit on Wednesday morning, referencing the 30th anniversary this year of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination.
“[Ties] are now at the historical peak of a comprehensive partnership and strategic coordination in a new era and are rightfully considered a model of a new type of relationship between major powers,” Xi added.
