Xi, Putin Sign 20+ Deals in Beijing on Energy, Space, AI, Agriculture and Media; Pledge to Cement a Stronger China–Russia Strategic Axis
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Beijing on Tuesday in a summit that combined hard economics with historical symbolism. They inked more than 20 cooperation agreements across energy, space, artificial intelligence, agriculture and media, while presenting the China–Russia partnership as both the product of history and a cornerstone of a multipolar future.
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| Image Source: MFA China |
Both leaders used the anniversary to frame their countries not only as wartime victors, but as present-day custodians of international order, with Xi calling the bilateral relationship a “prime example of major-country relations” and Putin describing it as “highly strategic and at a historic high.”
Xi stressed that China and Russia, both pursuing development and rejuvenation, must now “guide cooperation through flagship projects” and strengthen resilience in the face of external pressures.
He highlighted the importance of consolidating the overall interests of the partnership, aligning national strategies, and working closely across multilateral platforms including the United Nations, SCO, BRICS and the G20.
Putin responded by underscoring that the cooperation between their countries during World War II “laid the bedrock” for the present-day relationship, adding, “We stood together then, and we stand together now.”
Both leaders will jointly attend Beijing’s commemoration events on Wednesday, mirroring similar ceremonies they attended in Moscow in May.
The package of agreements signed in Beijing was one of the largest in recent years. Energy giants Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation formalized a strategic cooperation deal, while nuclear agencies from both sides concluded a framework on the peaceful use of atomic energy.
In space, Russia’s Lunar Dust Monitor will be integrated into China’s Chang’e-7 mission, symbolizing the deepening of scientific collaboration.
Digital cooperation was marked by accords in artificial intelligence and healthcare technologies, while the establishment of a Russian–Chinese Institute for Fundamental Research was announced as part of a broader push in higher education and joint science projects.
Agricultural agreements included pilot demonstration zones in Russia’s Far East, while financial accords pushed forward the transition to local currency settlements, a move in line with BRICS’ broader de-dollarization agenda.
Both Xi and Putin framed the meeting as not only a bilateral exercise but as part of a larger geopolitical rebalancing. Xi used the occasion to promote China’s Global Governance Initiative, insisting that sovereign equality, multilateralism and international rule of law must form the foundation of world affairs.
Putin endorsed the initiative as “timely and relevant” and directly linked it to efforts to close what he called the “global governance deficit.”
Their joint language positioned Beijing and Moscow as defenders of both wartime legacy and future order, explicitly rejecting what they described as unilateral sanctions and double standards imposed by Western powers.
The symbolism of the World War II commemorations loomed large. Xi said that the tradition of attending each other’s victory anniversaries “fully demonstrates the sense of responsibility of major countries” and their determination to safeguard historical truth.
Putin, recalling the Soviet and Chinese roles in the European and Asian theaters, said that “our ancestors paid an enormous price for peace and freedom. We do not forget this — we remember. It is the foundation of our achievements today and in the future.”
The breadth of the delegation that accompanied Putin reinforced the scope of the discussions. Russian ministers of defense, energy, finance, agriculture and science, the heads of Rosatom, Roscosmos, Rostec and top banking executives were present.
The Kremlin described the agenda as covering the strengthening of the comprehensive partnership, practical cooperation across sectors, and strategic coordination on regional and global issues.
The Beijing summit underscored that China and Russia are not only consolidating their bilateral relationship but also positioning themselves as the core axis of an emerging multipolar world order.
With both countries under Western pressure -- Moscow facing sanctions over Ukraine and Beijing confronting tariff regimes led by Washington -- the agreements signal a determination to insulate their partnership from outside shocks.
At the same time, their invocation of the World War II legacy provided a narrative bridge that links historical sacrifice with current ambitions to reshape global governance.
By tying trade and technology deals to shared historical memory, Xi and Putin presented their partnership as more than transactional.
It was, they argued, both a continuation of a wartime alliance and a framework for the international system’s future direction, built on sovereignty, strategic autonomy and multipolarity.