In Beijing
It is quite an affaire, trying to find complete videos of speeches and short addresses by Presidents Jinping and Putin so far during the summit, that are not completely politically colored. I watched Al Jazeera, whose Moscow correspondent used the occasion to rip Russia apart in terms of economics.
The overall pomp and circumstance is breath-taking. China excels.
The Sputnik series of clips provides a fine timeline of the major happenings. LIVE UPDATES: Putin and Xi Adopt Declaration on Establishment Multipolar World
What becomes very clear is that this summit is friendly, warm and perfectly organized given that 40 agreements were signed. That is a big deal only in terms of organization. Knowing full well that this summit was not planned and arranged as a response to the Trump summit, the media cannot help but make useless comparisons.
🚨🇷🇺🇨🇳 Xi Jinping: Unilateralism threatens to bring us back to 'the law of the jungle'
Russia and China will champion a "concept of a single fate for humankind" — countering unilateralism, protecting UN authority, and fighting the revival of Nazism and fascism. https://t.co/kreW6S24ns pic.twitter.com/kO0LsVNfr5
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) May 20, 2026
The Kremlin’s website is quick with transcripts:
The official welcoming ceremony for President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the presentation of the delegations took place on Tiananmen Square.
The talks began with a restricted-format conversation and continued in an expanded format.
Following the talks, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping signed a Joint Statement on Further Strengthening Comprehensive Partnership and Strategic Cooperation and Deepening Relations of Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation. The parties approved a Joint Declaration on the Formation of a Multipolar World and a New Type of International Relations. A number of bilateral intergovernmental, inter-agency, and corporate documents were also signed in the presence of the leaders.
Following the talks between President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, several intergovernmental documents were signed, namely, the Agreement on the Joint Construction of the Second Main Track of 1,435-mm gauge on the cross-border section of the Zabaikalsk-Manzhouli Railway and the Memorandum of Understanding on Urban Development.
A number of inter-agency documents were also signed concerning support for open trade and multilateralism, the development of sustainable trade in priority industrial products, customs personnel training, market regulation for 2026–2027, joint film production projects, and intellectual property matters. Additionally, several documents outlining interaction between relevant organisations in the fields of education and media were signed.
Memoranda of understanding were signed between the Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as the China Atomic Energy Authority and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China on cooperation in human resource development for the peaceful use of nuclear energy and scientific and technical cooperation in controlled thermonuclear fusion.
Furthermore, on the sidelines of the talks, an extensive package of documents was signed pertaining to innovation, sport, youth policy, and education, as well as a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan Federal University, the Government of Shandong Province, and Shandong University on the establishment of Russia-China University of Advanced Technologies.
Following the talks, the leaders of Russia and China made statements to the press.
Press statements following Russia-China talks
Following the talks, Vladimir Putin and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping made statements for the media.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President,
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our dear friend, President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, and all our Chinese colleagues for the warm and cordial welcome extended to the Russian delegation.
This official visit is taking place in an anniversary year for Russian-Chinese relations: 25 years ago, we signed a vital interstate treaty of good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation, which provided a solid foundation for the all-round development of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction between our two countries.
Russia-China relations have reached a truly unprecedented level and continue to develop. At the same time, our relations are self-sufficient, do not depend on the current international situation, and can serve as an example of relations between nations in this age.
Regarding our talks today, they were held in a traditionally warm, comradely and constructive atmosphere. We held in-depth discussions on all key aspects of our bilateral cooperation. The joint statement we have signed following these talks outlines the priority spheres of our interaction.
We have signed a large package, or more precisely about 40 intergovernmental, interagency and corporate documents. Some of them have been signed here. Many of these focus on the further deepening of our economic cooperation.
I would like to emphasise that Russia and China are important trade partners for each other. In 2025, our trade reached nearly US$240 billion, and its structure has expanded, including due to high added-value goods.
Modern enterprises in both Russia and China have greatly contributed to the growth of mutual trade. Our coordinated actions to transition settlements between them, as well as between our countries in general, to payments in national currencies have been of great importance in this regard. As a result, nearly all Russia-China export-import transactions are made in rubles and yuan. 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.
I would like to point out that Russia and China are actively cooperating in the sphere of energy. 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.
After the successful completion of the cross years of culture, Russia and China are launching new large-scale intergovernmental humanitarian initiatives, such as the Russia-China Year of Education. Together with President Xi Jinping, as has already been mentioned, we will take part in the ceremony launching these thematic years. The programme of the cross years includes hundreds of diverse events: conferences and seminars, concerts, exhibitions and masterclasses, as well as Olympiads and competitions. The first of these have already taken place and have attracted considerable interest among students and teachers in both Russia and China.
Our country is also actively cooperating in the field of sport. A major highlight will, of course, be the 10th Russia-China Summer Games, which will begin this weekend in Kaliningrad. This is an excellent opportunity for many talented athletes to showcase their abilities.
Of course, cooperation between Russian and Chinese media organisations continues to strengthen friendship, trust and mutual understanding between our states and peoples. In 2026, we will mark the 70th anniversary of partnership between TASS and the Chinese news agency Xinhua. On this occasion, a photo exhibition dedicated to the history of Russian-Chinese relations has been organised here in Beijing.
President Xi Jinping and I have exchanged views on pressing international issues, following which a joint declaration was adopted confirming the shared fundamental approaches of our two countries. The key point is this: Russia and China are committed to an independent and sovereign foreign policy, act in close strategic coordination, and play an important stabilising role on the global stage.
We work together for peace and shared prosperity. In this spirit, Moscow and Beijing jointly uphold international law and the provisions of the UN Charter in their entirety and interconnection and cooperate effectively within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, BRICS and other international structures, making a significant contribution to addressing pressing global and regional challenges.
Russia supports the priorities of China’s chairmanship this year in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). We, for our part, will provide all necessary assistance for their practical implementation. I am confident that the upcoming summit in Shenzhen will be productive.
We will, of course, continue to closely coordinate our positions in other multilateral formats as well, including the G20, the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the New Development Bank. We intend to promote the alignment of integration processes within the Eurasian Economic Union and China’s Belt and Road Initiative, with a view to forming a Greater Eurasian Partnership.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
The programme of our visit is extremely intensive. President Xi Jinping and I still have several important events ahead. However, I would already like to sincerely thank my friend, President Xi Jinping, and all our Chinese colleagues for their hospitality and for the excellent organisation of our work. I am confident that this visit and the talks will further strengthen Russian-Chinese friendship and contribute to the well-being and prosperity of our peoples.
Thank you.
From TASS
Key takeaways from Chinese President Xi Jinping’s statements:
◾️Russia and China need to develop growth drivers in the digital economy, AI, and technological innovation
◾️China and Russia will oppose all forms of hegemony
◾️Russia and China as members of the United Nations Security Council will oppose the distortion of history and the resurgence of fascism
◾️China-Russia relations are rightly regarded as a model of a new type of relationship between major powers
◾️China and Russia must support each other on issues concerning their core interests
◾️Xi Jinping highlighted the need to coordinate the national development programs of China and Russia
◾️Friendship between China and Russia is gaining ground among the youths of both countries