China Will Host Putin, Days After Trump’s Visit

Key Points:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China next week for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing, aiming to discuss major bilateral and international issues.
• The two-day visit, starting Tuesday, will include discussions on regional problems and the signing of several bilateral documents, as confirmed by the Kremlin and Chinese officials.
• Russia and China have a heavily imbalanced economic relationship, with China dominating trade, but Russia's role as a reliable energy supplier has grown amid global supply strains due to conflicts like the war in Ukraine and tensions in Iran.
• A key topic is advancing oil and gas cooperation, including a potential new pipeline through Mongolia, which China has hesitated to approve due to concerns about overdependence on Russian energy.
• Putin expressed hope that U.S.-China relations would avoid escalating economic tensions following Trump's visit, which concluded without major announcements.