Xi and Putin Deepen Ties with Beijing Tea Diplomacy Meeting
Leaders of China and Russia are scheduled to gather for a summit in Beijing on Wednesday that will cover both bilateral and global topics, concluding with a personal conversation between "old friends" over tea.
Following U.S. President Donald Trump's trip to the Chinese capital, the visuals and results of the gathering between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be examined and contrasted carefully.
Xi is recognized for inviting visiting leaders for tea; however, the environment and tone of these meetings can be perceived as indicative of the Chinese leader's esteem for his guest.
During Xi's meeting with Putin in May 2024, the two leaders removed their ties while discussing over tea in Zhongnanhai, a historic garden that currently serves as the offices for the ruling Communist Party and government. In comparison, Trump's walk through a private garden and tea with Xi in the same area, along with a visit to the Temple of Heaven last week, seemed more planned.
"Beijing is enjoying the visuals of this. They enjoy being the focus of global interest, and they will maximize it for their domestic viewers," stated Graeme Smith, a senior fellow at the Pacific Affairs department of the Australian National University.
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"In certain manners, Xi is gaining from the emotional unpredictability of both world leaders," he stated, alluding to Trump's love for spectacle and Putin's longstanding display of friendship with Xi.
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The unusual consecutive visits to Beijing by the leaders of two prominent nations with significant political, military, and economic disagreements have been celebrated by Chinese state media as acknowledgment of China's global position in a world order that is becoming increasingly fragmented.
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Upon landing on Tuesday evening, Putin was welcomed by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, accompanied by an honor guard and Chinese youth who waved the national flags of both China and Russia during the ceremony on the tarmac.