Putin And Xi Exchange New Year’s Greetings, Hail Strategic Partnership

By Staff, Agencies

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged New Year’s greetings, praising the steady development of relations between Moscow and Beijing and reaffirming the strength of their strategic partnership.

The two countries have significantly deepened cooperation since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, describing their relationship as a partnership “without limits.” Bilateral trade nearly doubled between 2020 and 2024, exceeding $240 billion last year.

In his message, Putin wished Xi and the Chinese people well, stating that the China–Russia strategic partnership continued to develop consistently throughout 2025. He highlighted the stability and reliability of bilateral ties amid shifting global conditions.

Xi sent reciprocal greetings on Tuesday, wishing Putin and the Russian people a prosperous New Year. He noted that relations between the two countries had made further progress and recalled that the two leaders met twice this year, in Beijing and Moscow.

Xi added that Russia and China continue to support one another in multilateral forums, including the United Nations.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin also exchanged New Year’s messages, according to Chinese state media.

Earlier this month, Putin signed a decree allowing Chinese citizens visa-free entry to Russia for up to 30 days, mirroring China’s earlier decision to grant the same access to Russian citizens. The move aims to further facilitate travel and people-to-people exchanges.

Last week, Putin described relations with Beijing as stable and trusting, stressing close coordination between the two countries on key global issues.