Xi welcomes Putin as China-Russia ties deepen

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing on Tuesday, calling him an “old friend” as the two leaders began a new round of bilateral talks.

The meeting highlights the deepening ties between China and Russia, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. President Putin described the relationship as “strategic” and at an “unprecedentedly high level.”

“Our close…