Putin State Visit to Beijing — Xi and Putin Sign 'Multipolar World' Declaration, 40+ Bilateral Agreements Days After Trump's Beijing Visit

Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a three-day state visit to Beijing beginning May 20, 2026, strategically timed just days after US President Trump's own visit. Xi Jinping and Putin signed more than 40 bilateral cooperation agreements spanning trade, technology, education, nuclear security, and media, and jointly issued a 'Multipolar World' declaration explicitly framing the Sino-Russian relationship as a counterweight to US global influence. CNN described Xi as giving Putin 'a red carpet welcome and making a veiled jab at the US.' The leaders failed, however, to finalize the long-anticipated Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline deal — reportedly due to ongoing disputes over pricing. The timing of the Putin visit — arriving in Beijing within days of the Trump-Xi summit — was widely interpreted as Xi signaling to both Moscow and Washington that China maintains strategic flexibility, cultivating ties with all major powers while facing no zero-sum choice between them.