China, Russia Jointly Criticize US After Xi-Putin Summit; Gas Pipeline Deal Remains Unresolved
Following a summit in Beijing, China and Russia issued a joint statement condemning the US's missile defense program and 'irresponsible' nuclear policy, showcasing their unified stance on security. However, a much-anticipated new natural gas pipeline contract, which Russia hoped would double its gas exports to China, was not signed, highlighting the complexities of their partnership.
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- 📰 Published: May 21, 2026 at 10:16
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- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 21, 2026 at 10:44 (12 min after Collected)
(CNA, Beijing, 20th, Comprehensive Foreign Report) Just after the Trump-Xi meeting concluded last week, China and Russia issued a joint statement today following the Xi-Putin summit, jointly condemning Trump's "America's Golden Dome" missile defense program and Washington's "irresponsible" nuclear weapons policy, while a new natural gas pipeline contract hoped for by Russia remains unresolved. According to Reuters, the joint statement issued by Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin after their summit highlights that while Xi is seeking to build a stable and constructive relationship with US President Trump, there are fundamental differences on key issues. In contrast, the positions of China and Russia are highly consistent. The statement pointed out that Trump's "America's Golden Dome" program threatens global strategic stability and criticized Washington for allowing a key treaty limiting US-Russian nuclear arsenals to expire. The treaty expired this February, and Trump did not respond to Moscow's proposal to extend the limits on missiles and nuclear warheads for one year. Some US politicians believe this could hinder the United States' ability to counter China's nuclear development. However, despite the two leaders' unified stance on global security issues and the high-level reception Xi gave Putin, he failed to secure the China-Russia natural gas pipeline contract. Russia has long hoped to double its total natural gas sales to China by building a new pipeline. As Trump is eager to withdraw from the US-Iran war and Putin is mired in the stalemate of the Russia-Ukraine war, these two summits have provided an opportunity for Xi Jinping to demonstrate that Beijing is both a pillar of global stability and an indispensable diplomatic force. Patricia Kim, a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution, stated: "Compared to Putin and Trump, Xi Jinping is clearly in a more advantageous position at the moment. Both the US and Russian leaders are mired in self-inflicted conflicts that have proven far more difficult to resolve than they had anticipated."