Xi shows solidarity with Putin at Russia’s Victory Day parade

Undeterred by the threat of Ukrainian attacks, Chinese President Xi Jinping sat shoulder to shoulder with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow’s Red Square on May 9, in a show of solidarity.

Decked out in matching black coats with the orange and black striped Ribbon of Saint George – a symbol of Russian nationalism and military valour – pinned on their lapels, both men watched a display of Russian weapons, including drones used against Ukraine, and a march-past of troops from various nations, including China’s People’s Liberation Army, at the Victory Day parade.

The parade 

marked the 80th anniversary of the victory

of the Soviet Union and its allies over Nazi Germany. 

It was also Mr Putin’s party to show that he has broken free of the diplomatic isolation imposed on Russia by the US and Europe after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. 

No world leader showed up for the Victory Day parade in May 2022. This year, over two dozen did, compared with just nine in 2024. Among them, the most powerful was Mr Xi, whom Mr Putin has described as his “main guest” and who last attended the parade in 2015.

Why did Mr Xi go out on a limb – risking the ire of Europe and Ukraine – to “give face” to Mr Putin? 

A superficial reason is: Mr Putin has often done Mr Xi the favour of showing up at major events in China in the role of the most powerful world leader in attendance.

China is set to hold its own celebration in September to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and Mr Putin is tipped to attend. 

At the fundamental level, both leaders share a common need for strategic unity in the face of a stronger adversary – the United States. 

After US President Donald Trump began his second term in January, he

reached out to Mr Putin

in an attempt to draw Russia closer and possibly drive a wedge between Russia and China.

Observers have coined this as a “reverse Nixon” strategy, which flips the logic of then US President Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to China to pull Beijing closer in order to counterbalance the Soviet Union during the Cold War. 

“By reaffirming the strong ties between China and Russia, President Xi can seek to break out of the Nixon 2.0 setting. This is a key consideration for his trip to Russia,” Professor Cui Hongjian, a former diplomat and the head of European Union studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told The Straits Times.

“As the Romance Of The Three Kingdoms shows us, the two weaker states must work together and resist being used by the strongest state as a tool to take out the other; because after that, the strongest state can easily take out the remaining state,” he said, referring to the classic historical novel about the power struggles between three states in ancient China. 

While China sees Russia as its strongest ally, Russia also relies on China for economic and strategic support. Russia’s economy has been hit by sanctions imposed by the US and its allies after the Ukraine invasion. China has given Moscow an economic lifeline by buying its energy and selling it manufactured goods.

Prof Cui pointed out another reason for Russia wanting to appear close to China, despite Mr Trump’s overtures to Mr Putin. 

“By showing that he is still close to Mr Xi, Mr Putin can then demand that Mr Trump give him more concessions if he wants Russia on his side,” he said.

These concessions could include a lifting of sanctions, or a more favourable peace deal with Ukraine that the US is brokering. 

Mr Xi’s visit to Russia also comes at a crucial time as China enters trade talks with the US. 

Chinese and US officials are meeting in Switzerland on May 9 and 10 to explore ways to lower tariffs of more than 100 per cent that each side has imposed on the other. 

There was a hint of posturing on the Chinese side in Mr Xi’s joint statement with Mr Putin on May 8 which criticised “certain countries” for trade protectionism and “unilateral bullying”.

Prof Cui noted that by not naming the US as the target of this criticism, China might be hoping to leave some room for Vice-Premier He Lifeng to negotiate with the US team in Switzerland. 

“But the strong wording of the criticism is designed to show China’s confidence going into the talks – that they are still sticking to a tough posture,” he said.

As the strategic rivalry between the US and China has heated up in recent years, China and Russia have increasingly moved closer. Weeks before the Ukraine war broke out in 2022, Mr Xi and Mr Putin

defined the relationship as a “no-limits partnership”

.

However, mindful of the practical and reputational risks of being seen as blindly supportive of everything Russia does, including its actions in Ukraine, China has since quietly recalibrated its position to in effect set limits on the relationship. The official characterisation is now a relationship that does not involve “alliance, confrontation, and targeting of third parties”.  

This was Mr Xi’s 11th trip to Russia, the country he has visited the most number of times since coming to power in 2012. He has met Mr Putin more than 40 times.