BEYOND
Russia's Putin to visit China's Xi next week amid diplomatic tensions
Trip follows Trump's state visit to Beijing, marks anniversary of Sino-Russian treaty
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on a two-day trip to Beijing on May 19–20, the Kremlin announced Saturday. The visit comes less than 24 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump completed his own state visit to China. Putin's trip is timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship, signalling continued diplomatic alignment between the two nations.