Xi Jinping warned that the world risks slipping back into the “law of the jungle” and praised the China-Russia relationship as a force for global stability, as he hosted Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday, just days after meeting with Donald Trump.
The Chinese leader welcomed the Russian president with full ceremony as they began talks at the Great Hall of the People. Chinese soldiers stood at attention while a military band played the national anthems of both Russia and China in central Beijing. Children waved Russian and Chinese flags and cheered “Welcome, welcome!” in Chinese before the two leaders entered the hall.
The scene was similar to Trump’s high-profile meeting with Xi in Beijing last week, where the leaders of the world’s two largest economies discussed topics ranging from trade and investment to the Iran conflict and Taiwan.
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Talks between Xi and Putin started with a shorter “narrow format meeting” with fewer delegates to discuss sensitive issues. The leaders then held a “wide format meeting” with their full delegations, which ended around 2 p.m. local time (7 a.m. BST). Xi and Putin then attended a signing ceremony for several documents covering technology, trade, scientific research, and intellectual property. According to Chinese state media, one of the documents extended the “China-Russia treaty of good neighbourliness and friendly cooperation,” first signed 25 years ago.
In comments after the signing, Xi said relations between Beijing and Moscow were at “the highest level of comprehensive strategic partnership” and called on both countries to oppose “all unilateral bullying” on the global stage. Xi’s remarks echoed his opening statement, where he said the world was in danger of returning to the “law of the jungle.” He added that further conflict in the Middle East was “inadvisable” and that a “comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed,” state media reported.
In his opening remarks, Putin described the countries’ relationship as being at an “unprecedentedly high level” and said Moscow remains a “reliable energy supplier” amid the ongoing Middle East crisis. Putin also invited Xi to visit Russia next year.
Xi is scheduled to host Putin for tea in Zhongnanhai, the former imperial garden that now serves as the headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party. When Xi hosted his Russian counterpart in May 2024, they did the same, appearing relaxed as they took off their ties while chatting.
China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, who greeted Putin when he landed in Beijing on Tuesday evening, is also expected to hold talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
Reciprocal trade and investment are likely to be top priorities for Putin, as his sanctions-hit economy struggles under the rising costs of Moscow’s war in Ukraine. China, Russia’s largest trading partner, buys nearly half of Moscow’s oil exports.
Unlike the adversarial nature of the Washington-Beijing relationship, Putin and Xi have shown an increasingly warm bond in recent years, calling each other “dear” and “old” friends. The friendly greetings continued on Wednesday, as Putin recalled a Chinese proverb expressing his eagerness to meet again: “Even if we haven’t seen each other for a day, it feels like three autumns have passed.”
The setting and style of Xi’s meetings with other world leaders are often seen as a sign of the Chinese president’s respect for his guest. The optics and outcomes of his meeting with Putin are under extra scrutiny, coming so soon after Trump’s visit.
When state media asked how Putin’s summit compares to Trump’s, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, “ItIt’s not always easy to compare, because not everything is visible on the surface. Peskov added, “The real value lies in the substance, not in the formalities.”
As Xi was getting ready to welcome Putin, China’s commerce ministry confirmed that the country would purchase 200 Boeing jets and seek to extend the trade agreement with the US that was reached in Kuala Lumpur last year. This statement marked Beijing’s first official confirmation of the Boeing order, which Trump had mentioned the previous week.
According to the Russian news agency Interfax, Peskov did not rule out the possibility of a meeting between Putin and Trump in November, when both leaders are expected to attend the APEC summit in China.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the statement Xi says the world is at risk of falling into a law of the jungle as he praises ChinaRussia ties
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What does law of the jungle mean in this context
It means a world where the strongest countries bully weaker ones with no rules or fairnessjust survival of the fittest
2 Why did Xi say the world is at risk of this
He believes some countries are ignoring international rules and pushing their own power which could lead to chaos
3 How does praising ChinaRussia ties relate to this warning
Xi presents the ChinaRussia partnership as a force for stability and fairnessa counterweight to the law of the jungle that he warns against
4 Is Xi saying China and Russia are allies
Not exactly He calls them partners with a deep friendship They cooperate closely but avoid calling it a formal military alliance
5 Who is the jungle in this scenario
Xi implies that the USled Western order is acting like the strongest predator trying to dominate others instead of following agreedupon rules
AdvancedLevel Questions
6 What specific global events prompted Xi to make this statement
Tensions over Taiwan the war in Ukraine USled technology restrictions on China and NATOs expansion in Asia Xi sees these as signs of a bullying mentality
7 How does this law of the jungle warning serve Chinas foreign policy goals
It frames China as a defender of fairness and multipolarity justifying its opposition to US sanctions and alliances while promoting its own global initiatives like the Belt and Road
8 Is ChinaRussia cooperation truly a stabilizing force or does it enable conflict
Supporters say it prevents US unilateralism Critics argue it gives Russia a lifeline during the Ukraine war and encourages aggressive behavior by both countries
9 What does Xi mean by true multilateralism in these speeches
He means decisions should be made by all nations equally not imposed by a small group of powerful countries
10 Could this law of the jungle warning backfire on China
Yes Some nations see Chinas own
