Days after Trump visit, Xi wraps up meeting with Putin and they are vowing to build a ‘multipolar world and a new type of international relations”

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have officially signed a massive joint declaration following their recent summit in Beijing, Al Jazeera reported. This meeting concluded just days after President Donald Trump wrapped up his own two-day visit to China for a high-level summit with Xi.

The primary focus of the new agreement between Moscow and Beijing centers on their shared commitment to building a “multipolar world and a new type of international relations”. According to the Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, this declaration is quite extensive, spanning a 47-page policy document that outlines their future cooperation.

It’s clear that both leaders are looking to reshape the current global landscape. A multipolar world is generally understood as a system where economic, military, and diplomatic power is distributed among three or more countries, rather than being concentrated within just one or two nations. During the meeting, Xi expressed a strong sentiment regarding the current state of global affairs, noting that “The tide of unilateral hegemony is running rampant.”

Both leaders have consistently spoken out against the unipolar hegemony they claim the United States maintains over the rest of the world

In the past, Putin has been very vocal about this, stating during a speech: “They need conflicts to retain their hegemony. The era of the unipolar world order is nearing its end.” The relationship between these two nations has reached what the Kremlin describes as a “truly unprecedented level and continue to develop”.

The two sides signed roughly 40 different intergovernmental, interagency, and corporate documents. These deals cover a wide range of sectors, including economics, sports, education, and media. For instance, this year marks the 70th anniversary of the partnership between the Russian TASS news agency and the Chinese Xinhua news agency, highlighting the long-standing nature of their cooperation.

Economic ties are becoming particularly tight. Last year, trade between Russia and China hit nearly $240 billion, and the Chinese statement indicated that bilateral trade grew by 20 percent in the first four months of this year alone. A major part of this shift involves moving away from the US dollar. The Kremlin noted that nearly all import and export transactions between the two countries are now conducted in roubles and yuan.

As they put it: “In other words, we have actually created a stable system of mutual trade that is protected from external influence and negative trends in the global markets.” This is a significant development, especially since Russia has become increasingly reliant on Chinese technology and manufacturing since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.

Energy security is another massive pillar of this partnership. The Kremlin confirmed that an understanding has been reached regarding the route and construction of the long-delayed Siberia 2 pipeline. While the specific details are still being negotiated, the project is expected to transport 50 billion cubic metres of Russian gas to China every year via Mongolia once it’s finished.

Russia is already a major exporter of oil, natural gas, and coal to the Chinese market. The Kremlin stated: “Our country is one of the largest exporters of oil, natural gas (including LNG) and coal to China. We are definitely ready to continue to ensure reliable and uninterrupted supplies of these types of fuel to the rapidly growing Chinese market.” This trade has become vital for Russia, as many European markets have closed their doors to Russian energy products, allowing China to benefit from steep discounts on these commodities.

Beyond trade and energy, the two leaders are also looking toward the future through education and research. Both statements confirmed that Xi and Putin have agreed to significantly expand student exchange programs and deepen cooperation between their respective universities and research platforms. The goal is to boost joint scientific research and ensure that the partnership continues to evolve.

As the Chinese ministry statement summarized: “Both sides should build on this momentum, deepen the alignment of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan with Russia’s development strategy until 2030, promote the upgrading of mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, and serve the development and revitalization of both countries.”