Putin Arrives in China for SCO Summit as Beijing Rolls Out Red Carpet

Vladimir Putin has arrived in Tianjin for a rare four-day visit tied to a regional security summit, receiving a red-carpet welcome, according to China Central Television. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting—hosted by Xi Jinping and expected to draw about 20 Asian and Middle Eastern leaders—comes as Beijing and Moscow deepen coordination and present an alternative to Western-led frameworks, CCTV said.

Chinese state media described China-Russia ties as the “best in history” and “strategically significant,” while noting Putin used a pre-trip written interview to denounce Western sanctions and to emphasize shared wartime memory and sovereignty themes, according to Xinhua. The security-focused bloc has expanded in recent years, and the summit is expected to showcase Beijing’s vision for a post-American-led order while offering a high-profile diplomatic platform for Russia.

What’s next: Xi will formally open the SCO summit and hold leader-level sessions; a Putin–Xi bilateral and joint statements are expected during the visit.