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Chinese leader meets Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing just days after his summit with US President Donald Trump.
Published On 4 Nov 2025
China seeks to deepen relations with Russia despite a “turbulent” external environment, President Xi Jinping has said.
Xi made the pledge to expand investment and economic relations as he met Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing on Tuesday. China has drawn closer to Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago, despite pressure from the West.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Xi seeks to expand mutual investment with Russia, describing the enhanced ties as a “shared strategic choice” and declaring that the two countries “must maintain close coordination”.
“China-Russia relations have forged ahead this year despite the turbulent external environment,” Xi told Mishustin, according to China’s Foreign Ministry.
He highlighted industries, including energy, agriculture, aerospace, the digital economy and green development, where the two countries could cooperate.
President Xi Jinping met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
It is our shared strategic choice to uphold, consolidate and develop China-Russia relations.
The two sides must maintain close coordination, upgrade our cooperation, and make new and greater contributions… pic.twitter.com/OSYhjhEr5F
— Mao Ning 毛宁 (@SpoxCHN_MaoNing) November 4, 2025
Relations between Russia and China have grown steadily closer since Moscow’s invasion of its neighbouring country in February 2022.
Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a “no-limits” partnership, just days before Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine.
Russia has since heavily relied on China to blunt the impact of Western sanctions, with record trade between the pair and deepening energy cooperation.
Bilateral commerce has, however, declined in recent months as China faces mounting pressure from the United States over trade and technology.
Xi and Putin have also appeared to maintain close personal relations in recent years.
The Russian president visited China in September to attend a huge military parade in Beijing to mark 80 years since the end of World War II.
‘Highly important’
For its part, the Kremlin highlighted the significance of Mishustin’s visit and the value it places on partnership with China.
In advance of the trip, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stressed that Moscow considers it “highly important”.
Putin said on Tuesday he has instructed his government to develop “multimodal transport and logistics centres” on the Chinese border.
Similar facilities will also be built on the border with North Korea.
Moscow and Pyongyang have also strengthened ties during the Russia-Ukraine war. Putin recently met North Korea’s Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui.
In 2024, Russia and North Korea signed a defence pact committing each country to provide military support to the other in the event of “aggression”.
English (US) · 