London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 03, 2025

Will Putin be the first world leader Xi meets face-to-face in 2 years?

Will Putin be the first world leader Xi meets face-to-face in 2 years?

Chinese President Xi Jinping has remained in China since Covid-19 was declared a global pandemic, missing major events such as the G20 summit and UN climate talks.

Vladimir Putin is likely to become the first world leader to meet Xi Jinping in person for almost two years after the Russian president confirmed he would attend the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February.

The two held a video call on Wednesday, in which the Chinese leader said he was “looking forward” to meeting Putin at the Games, and afterwards vice-minister for foreign affairs Le Yucheng confirmed it would be a “face-to-face” meeting.

It would make Putin the first foreign leader Xi has received in person since he did so with Khaltmaagiin Battulga, then the Mongolian president, in February 2020 – a month before the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic.

Since that time, Xi has not set foot outside the country or received any visiting foreigner in person. The Chinese and Russian leaders were the only two government leaders not to attend the Group of 20 summit in Rome in October.

He also missed the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, prompting US President Joe Biden to observe “China is absent”.

Observers said the meeting with the Russian leader might offer a chance for China to gradually ease its restrictions on in-person diplomacy.

“It is the Winter Olympics and Xi is bound to attend, and when he does, meetings with foreign leaders appear inevitable,” said Yun Sun, director of the China programme at the Stimson Centre in Washington. “I think this could signal the beginning of China’s reopening after two years of restriction.

“Putin is special in the sense that China and Russia need to align with each other and provide support at a time that is difficult for both.”

The pair’s meeting will happen at a time of growing pressure from the West on both countries. The United States, Britain, Canada and Australia have already announced a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics, citing alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

Meanwhile, Russia was the focal point of the Group of 7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Liverpool earlier this month

A meeting between Xi and Putin would underline the resilience of China-Russia ties, said Zhao Kejin, a Chinese foreign policy specialist at the Carnegie-Tsinghua Centre for Global Policy.

“Who else can stand together with China like comrades in arms? I think the gesture is highly symbolic,” he said. “But I think that gesture could also mean other state leaders also have a chance.”

Antonio Guterres, secretary general of the United Nations, has also confirmed his attendance at the Olympic opening ceremony, and he might also meet Xi, Zhao said.

“Of course Putin will have a higher level of security compared to Guterres but I think there shouldn’t be much difference in terms of hospitality,” Zhao said.

Foreign officials visiting China in recent months have not entered Beijing and have been placed into bubbles for their meetings with Chinese counterparts.

Putin was the first world leader to confirm he would attend the Games.


Recently Foreign Minister Wang Yi met a number of his foreign counterparts in Anji, a city in the eastern province of Zhejiang.

Anyone based in China who attended those meetings then had to spend seven days in quarantine in the city before flying home and spending another seven days in home quarantine, according to diplomatic sources.

But some diplomatic observers were unsure if there would be a wider diplomatic opening up.

Pang Zhongying, an international relations professor at Ocean University in Qingdao, said: “I think the meeting is likely to be a one-off thing. For instance, I’m not so sure Xi will travel to Indonesia for the G20 summit [in October].”

Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University, said: “The pandemic has made everything very difficult to predict. As part of China’s zero-Covid policy, no member of the Politburo Standing Committee [the Communist Party’s top leadership] has met a visiting foreign official in person for over 600 days.”

When John Kerry, Biden’s top climate envoy, visited Tianjin in September, his talks with Vice-Premier Han Zheng, a member of the standing committee, were held over video link.

Shi added that the significance of an in-person meeting between Xi and Putin should not be overstated.

“Whether they meet in person or not, with or without their masks on, are there breakthroughs that could be made but couldn’t be made if they meet virtually? I don’t think so,” he said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
×