Head-of-state diplomacy by Xi, Putin shapes momentum of key relationship "Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?" Confucius once said.

The ancient Chinese saying offers a fitting note as China welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday for his 14th visit to the country since 2013.

Putin used the same phrase when recalling his first meeting with Xi Jinping, then Chinese vice-president, in Moscow in March 2010. The meeting, he wrote in a signed article published in People's Daily in 2023, was held in a "business-like and at the same time sincere and friendly" atmosphere — a style of communication that he said he personally liked.

Three years following the early encounter, Xi chose Russia as the destination of his first overseas trip after taking office as Chinese president in 2013, underscoring the special weight of China-Russia relations in China's foreign policy.

During that visit, President Xi said that a high-level and strong China-Russia relationship serves not only the interests of both countries, but also the international strategic balance as well as world peace and stability.

More than a decade later, the two leaders are meeting again at another important moment.

Putin's two-day state visit, at the invitation of Xi, comes in a landmark year marking the 30th anniversary of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

"China-Russia relations are standing at a new historical starting point. The two sides are entering a golden period of opportunity marked by stronger political trust, deeper economic integration, closer people-to-people ties and greater global influence," said Li Yonghui, a research fellow of Russian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

She said that Putin's visit is not only a review of decades of neighborly friendship and strategic coordination, but also an opportunity for the two sides to plan the next stage of cooperation under the guidance of the two heads of state.

Andrey Denisov, first deputy chair of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs and former Russian ambassador to China, said that Putin's upcoming visit will once again demonstrate the high level and stability of Russia-China relations.

He said Russia-China relations are not an alliance in the traditional sense, but the two sides maintain a high degree of mutual trust and close coordination on major international issues, which he described as the essence of the relationship.

The momentum of China-Russia ties has been shaped by more than a decade of frequent head-of-state diplomacy. Since 2013, Xi has visited Russia 11 times, while Putin has traveled to China 13 times for state visits or major events. Last year, the two leaders paid state visits to each other's countries, underscoring the intensity and continuity of top-level exchanges.

In a signed article published in Russian media in 2023, Xi said that high-level interactions have played an important strategic guiding role in China-Russia relations.

Xi noted that he and Putin had maintained close working contact and met 40 times on bilateral and international occasions, drawing blueprints for bilateral ties and cooperation in various fields, and maintaining timely coordination on major international and regional issues of common concern.

In his New Year greetings exchanged with Putin on Dec 31, 2025, Xi said he was ready to maintain close contact with Putin and jointly lead China-Russia relations in the new era toward new achievements.

During a virtual meeting on Feb 4 this year, Xi noted that the day coincided with the Beginning of Spring on the Chinese calendar, which represents a new start, and expressed his readiness to work with Putin to chart a new blueprint for bilateral ties.

Xi also called on the two sides to increase high-level exchanges and strengthen pragmatic cooperation in various fields.

Li, from the CASS, said the frequent interactions between the two presidents have helped the two sides build consensus, set the direction of the relationship and maintain strategic steadiness despite fluctuations in the international situation.

"Each meeting helps reaffirm mutual support on issues concerning sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and independent development paths," she said, adding that such political mutual trust serves as a key anchor for the steady and long-term development of China-Russia relations.

The close communication between the two heads of state has also helped translate political trust into practical cooperation, Li added.

One notable example is trade, where top-level consensus has been translated into measurable progress. China-Russia trade exceeded $240 billion in 2024, meeting ahead of schedule the $200 billion target set by the two heads of state.

People-to-people ties

The two sides have also continued to expand cooperation in areas such as energy, agriculture, connectivity, education and people-to-people exchanges. The China-Russia Years of Education, to be launched this year, are expected to provide another platform for closer exchanges between young people from both countries.

Denisov, the Russian diplomat, noted that China and Russia once set a goal of increasing two-way student exchanges to 100,000. "At the time, it seemed almost out of reach, but today it has become a reality," he said.

Youth exchanges carry special significance for the long-term development of bilateral relations, he said, adding that he hopes that more young people from the two countries will participate in educational and cultural cooperation, and deepen mutual understanding and friendship through such exchanges.

Andrey Kortunov, former director-general of the Russian International Affairs Council, wrote in a recent CGTN commentary that trust defines what is possible in relations among major powers.

In the case of China-Russia relations, he said that strong personal relations between the two top leaders add to the stability and predictability of bilateral ties.

Li, the CASS researcher, said that at a time of geopolitical conflicts and global uncertainty, the steady development of China-Russia relations serves as an important pillar for global strategic balance.

Close communication between the two heads of state allows the two sides to exchange views in a timely manner, coordinate positions, manage differences and safeguard their core interests, she said. It also helps translate top-level consensus into cooperation across various fields.

"Such high-level engagement uses the certainty of head-of-state diplomacy to offset the uncertainty of the international environment," Li said, adding that it helps consolidate the foundation for regional and global peace and development.