Putin pays his first foreign trip to China after inauguration – What topics were discussed?

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China on Thursday where he and his counterpart Xi Jinping reaffirmed a "no-limits" partnership. Putin also thanked Chinese leader Xi Jinping for his efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine. Furthermore, Russia and China also announced they will deepen their already close military ties. Putin is visiting China on Thursday, May 16, and Friday, May 17 in his first foreign trip since his inauguration for a fifth term in the Kremlin. Speaking at a joint press conference on Thursday, Xi said: “China is willing to jointly achieve the development and rejuvenation of our respective countries, and work together to uphold fairness and justice in the world.” In a press conference shortly after their meeting, Putin praised the “warm and comradely” talks with Xi. In return, Xi said the friendship between China and one of its strongest allies Russia was “everlasting” and had “become a model for a new type of international relations”. In an interview with Xinhua, Putin appeared to give his backing to a 12-point Ukraine peace plan that China released to a lukewarm reception. The two leaders then sat down for a celebratory concert to mark the 75th anniversary of formal China-Russia relations. Putin's two-day state visit came as both countries face rising tension with the West. The visit also comes amid Russia’s intensive offensive in northeast Ukrainian Kharkiv region - the most significant border incursion since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.