Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for their fifth bilateral summit in two years, signing a series of cooperation agreements that significantly expand practical coordination between the two countries. The most significant provisions cover joint military exercises in the Arctic, expanded natural gas exports at preferential prices, and technology transfer arrangements in aerospace and nuclear energy.
Western governments have intensified pressure on China to limit economic support that sustains Russia's war in Ukraine. Beijing has maintained that its trade with Russia is lawful and that China is not a party to the conflict. However, US intelligence assessments shared with allies assert that Chinese dual-use technology exports have materially contributed to Russia's military production capacity, a conclusion Beijing formally disputes.
