Putin to Visit China in August for WWII Anniversary

Tone & Political Bias: Center

Why: The article presents factual updates on diplomatic events between Russia and China without overt partisan commentary or subjective framing.

Kremlin.ru, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Diplomatic Exchange Between Russia and China

Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to travel to China at the end of August and the beginning of September 2025. This visit serves as a reciprocal gesture following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s attendance at Russia’s Victory Day celebrations in May. The tradition of mutual state visits during key World War II anniversaries was first established in 2015 and has continued since.

Commemoration of World War II's End

China plans to hold a major event on September 3, 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. In China, this is known as the victory in the “War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.”

A similar large-scale celebration took place in 2015 for the 70th anniversary, featuring a major military parade in Beijing. This year’s event is expected to be equally significant, reflecting both historical reverence and geopolitical symbolism.

Strengthening Bilateral Relations

The visit highlights the increasingly close relationship between Russia and China, especially since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia, Moscow has leaned more heavily on Beijing for economic, diplomatic, and strategic support.

China has become a key supplier of dual-use components relevant to Russian military production and a major buyer of Russian energy exports. This alignment is often described by both governments as a “no limits” partnership, despite Western criticism of their growing ties.

Repeated High-Level Engagements

Putin’s upcoming visit will be his fourth to China since 2022. His previous visits took place in February 2022, October 2023, and May 2024. President Xi has also made several official trips to Russia during this same period. These continued exchanges point to the depth and consistency of bilateral engagement between the two nations.

Putin’s scheduled appearance at the 80th WWII anniversary in Beijing further affirms the Russia-China partnership’s focus on shared historical narratives, symbolic unity, and expanding strategic ties amid shifting global alliances.