Putin Arrives in China for Four-Day Visit Ahead of Major Security Summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Tianjin, China, on Sunday for a four-day state visit, marking another display of deepening ties between Moscow and Beijing. According to Chinese and Russian state media, the Russian leader was welcomed on the tarmac with full honors, including a red carpet reception led by top-ranking city officials.

Putin’s visit coincides with the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, a major regional security forum set to gather about 20 world leaders. Chinese President Xi Jinping will host the summit, which includes key participants such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in what will be the largest SCO gathering since its establishment in 2001.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV hailed current China-Russia relations as being at their “best in history,” describing them as “stable, mature, and strategically significant among major countries.” The summit is expected to highlight cooperation on regional security, trade, and geopolitical strategies aimed at counterbalancing Western influence on the global stage.

Putin’s rare extended four-day visit underscores the growing importance of Beijing in Russia’s diplomatic and economic strategy, particularly as Moscow continues to navigate Western sanctions and shifting global power dynamics.