Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a video call shortly after Donald Trump was inaugurated on Monday, pledging to take their bilateral ties to “greater heights,” according to reports from state media in both countries.
In their conversation, Putin referred to Xi as a “dear friend,” emphasizing that the growing ties between Russia and China were built on a foundation of friendship, mutual trust, and support, despite external pressures. Xi, in turn, encouraged Putin to continue deepening their strategic coordination, reinforcing mutual support, and safeguarding their legitimate interests.
The call came just hours before Trump made strong statements against both Beijing and Moscow. On Tuesday, Trump accused China of being an “abuser” and threatened to impose tariffs, while also warning of “big trouble” for Russia unless it reached an agreement to end the war in Ukraine. However, during the video call, Putin reiterated that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine must respect Russia’s interests, according to Russian foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov.
Despite growing tensions, particularly with the war in Ukraine, Beijing has been accused of helping Moscow’s military efforts by providing critical components for the conflict. Meanwhile, trade between China and Russia hit a record high of $240 billion in 2023, reflecting a 64% increase since 2021, before the invasion of Ukraine.
Ushakov mentioned that both Putin and Xi expressed a willingness to build their relationship with the United States on a mutually beneficial and respectful basis, should the Trump administration show interest in doing so. However, he clarified that the timing of the call was unrelated to Trump’s inauguration.
The video call lasted approximately 90 minutes, during which the two leaders also discussed key issues in the Middle East, South Korea, and Taiwan. Chinese state media reported that Xi expressed China’s readiness to work with Russia in response to “external uncertainties,” though no specific issues were mentioned.
This conversation followed a phone call between Xi and Trump last week, which Trump later described as a “very good” discussion, covering topics such as trade, fentanyl, and TikTok. Meanwhile, Putin, who has yet to engage with Trump directly, had already congratulated the US president on state television ahead of the inauguration.
