When Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping met this week in Beijing, the choreography was, as ever, immaculate. Two leaders, two flags, the ritual affirmation of a "no limits" partnership forged in the days before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
But beneath the theatre, the geometry of power between the two men has never been more lopsided — and the summit made that asymmetry impossible to ignore.
Chinese and Russian government officials participate in talks, May 20, 2026. Credit: Pr
Subscribe or login to read the rest.
Subscribers get full access to:
- Exclusive longform investigative journalism, Q&As, news and analysis, and data on Chinese business elites and corporations. We publish China scoops you won't find anywhere else.
- A weekly curated reading list on China from Andrew Peaple.
- A daily roundup of China finance, business and economics headlines.
We offer discounts for groups, institutions and students. Go to our
Subscriptions page for details.
Includes images from Depositphotos.com
