Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing today, Tuesday, for a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. This visit is widely followed and aims to showcase the "unlimited" trust and partnership between the two countries amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine. A video clip from Reuters showed Putin and his accompanying delegation arriving at Beijing Capital International Airport this morning, marking his second announced foreign visit since the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for him in March. He was welcomed by Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao.
This is Putin's first official visit outside of the former Soviet states this year, following a trip to Kyrgyzstan earlier this month. The ICC, which accuses Putin of the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine, mandates its 123 member states to arrest and deport him to The Hague for trial if he sets foot on their territory. Neither China nor Kyrgyzstan are members of the court, which was established to prosecute those involved in war crimes.
The last meeting between Xi and Putin occurred in Moscow days before the ICC issued its arrest order, during which Xi invited the Russian leader to attend the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, a global cooperation forum held under the auspices of the Chinese president. Russian media reported that Putin will attend the official reception for the forum hosted by Xi and will speak with leaders from Vietnam, Thailand, Mongolia, and Laos today Tuesday. Additionally, the Russian president will deliver a speech on Wednesday following Xi's address, as the main guest of the forum, and will hold bilateral talks with Xi later that same day.
Putin's last visit to Beijing was for the Winter Olympics in February 2022, when Russia and China announced their "unlimited" partnership just days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This will be Putin's third participation in the Belt and Road Forum, which continues its proceedings until tomorrow, Wednesday. The forum focuses on the Belt and Road Initiative, a major plan launched by Xi a decade ago that aims to establish global infrastructure and energy networks connecting Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime routes. Putin praises the initiative, stating it serves as a platform for international cooperation where "no one imposes anything on others."
