Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit Russia next month for a summit of the BRICS bloc, as confirmed by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This visit comes amid efforts by Moscow and Beijing to counter the influence of Western powers globally. Xi’s upcoming visit will mark his second to Russia since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Although China claims neutrality in the conflict, it has supported Russia’s claims that its actions were provoked by the West and continues to supply crucial components for Russian weapons production.

During a meeting in St. Petersburg, Wang Yi and Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed satisfaction with the strong ties between their countries. Xi has happily accepted Putin’s invitation to attend the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October. Additionally, the two leaders will hold a bilateral meeting in Kazan to discuss various aspects of the Russia-China relations, which both parties described as successful and multi-faceted.

Xi’s previous visit to Russia was in March 2023, followed by Putin’s trip to China later that year. The two leaders have met several times afterward, including in Beijing and Kazakhstan. Following Western sanctions cutting off Russia’s access to international trade, the country has turned to China for economic support. China’s trade with Russia amounted to $240 billion last year, helping Russia mitigate the impact of sanctions.

Amidst what Russia terms a “special military operation” in Ukraine, Moscow has increased economic reliance on China to bypass Western sanctions. The countries have strengthened military cooperation over the past two years. The BRICS alliance, formed in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining later, now includes more countries. The alliance aims to amplify the voice of emerging economies to counterbalance the Western-led global order. Members advocate for a fairer world order and reforms in global institutions like the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank.