Xi-Putin Summit in Beijing Delivers Joint Rebuke of U.S. “Golden Dome” Missile-Defense Plan

On 20 May 2026 Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Great Hall of the People. The two leaders signed a 9,935-word joint statement and a shorter declaration covering nuclear security, Taiwan, wildlife protection and energy cooperation. The declaration singled out U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile-defence project as a threat to strategic stability, but the talks produced no new agreement on the Power of Siberia 2 natural-gas pipeline.

The Straits TimesSouth China Morning PostXi and Putin Scold U.S. Over Golden Dome Plan in BeijingXi and Putin attack Trump's Golden Dome plan in Beijing talks — MogazUsNews and World Report

China and the Soviet Union were allies after 1949, but the Sino-Soviet split in 1961 halted cooperation. Relations revived after the USSR’s 1991 collapse and deepened following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which increased Moscow’s economic reliance on Beijing. Russian figures cite roughly US$240 billion in bilateral trade, with China the largest buyer of Russian crude; Russia ranks fifth among China’s trading partners after the United States, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.

UsNews and World ReportThe Straits TimesXi and Putin attack Trump's Golden Dome plan in Beijing talks — Mogaz

• Xi Jinping emphasized “intertwined turbulence and transformation” in global affairs and warned that “unilateral hegemonic currents are running rampant.”

CNN

• Vladimir Putin described energy cooperation as the “engine of interaction and economic cooperation” that “demonstrates strong momentum” despite external pressures.

Xi and Putin attack Trump's Golden Dome plan in Beijing talks — Mogaz

• German Gref, CEO of Sberbank, noted Russia’s intent to power its GigaChat AI model with Chinese-made chips.

UsNews and World Report

• The Kremlin labeled the Golden Dome project a “clear threat to strategic stability” with “serious negative consequences for international security.”

South China Morning Post

China remains Russia’s biggest trading partner, with trade valued at about US$240 billion. The Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, intended to transport gas from northern Siberia through Mongolia to China, has reached a “general understanding” but lacks agreed pricing, capacity and a timetable. No major deals were finalized at the summit.

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The joint criticism of the Golden Dome underscores a coordinated China-Russia narrative that the United States is destabilising the strategic environment. The declaration also warned that the lapse of the last U.S.–Russia arms-control treaty in February heightens the risk of a “return to the law of the jungle.” By linking missile-defence concerns with nuclear security, Taiwan and broader geopolitical tensions, the summit signals an effort to reshape global order away from U.S. dominance.

South China Morning Post

The joint statement described the Golden Dome plan as threatening “strategic stability” and warned against “provocations by certain nuclear-armed states.” It highlighted the failure of “colonial-era” attempts by some countries to dominate global affairs and called for renewed nuclear-arms-control dialogue, noting Washington’s lack of response to a proposed treaty extension. The Kremlin’s press release echoed these points, characterising the U.S. project as a “clear threat to strategic stability.”

South China Morning Post

Sources agree that a “general understanding” on Power of Siberia 2 exists, yet they differ on the level of detail: some note the absence of a timetable, while others simply state that key issues remain “elusive.” No concrete pipeline contract was signed, leaving the energy component of the partnership unresolved.

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• “The international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and transformation, while unilateral hegemonic currents are running rampant,” — Xi Jinping, President of China

CNN

• “A comprehensive cessation of war brooks no delay, restarting hostilities is even less desirable, and persisting with negotiations is particularly important,” — Xi Jinping

CNN

• “Even against the backdrop of unfavourable external factors, our interaction and economic cooperation demonstrate strong momentum,” — Vladimir Putin, President of Russia

Xi and Putin Scold U.S. Over Golden Dome Plan in Beijing

• “Golden Dome criticism The joint statement from China and Russia targeted Trump’s Golden Dome project directly, saying the plan would create a new missile field in the Midwest.” — Joint China-Russia statement

Xi and Putin Scold U.S. Over Golden Dome Plan in Beijing

• “serious negative consequences for international security” — Kremlin spokesperson

South China Morning Post

• “We have been able to continuously deepen our political mutual trust and strategic coordination with a resilience that remains unyielding despite trials and tribulations,” — Xi Jinping

Xi and Putin Scold U.S. Over Golden Dome Plan in Beijing

Both governments intend to finalize roughly 40 bilateral agreements covering economy, tourism, education and energy in the coming weeks. Negotiations on the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline will continue, while the United States is expected to respond to the joint criticism of the Golden Dome project through diplomatic channels and its own missile-defence policy reviews.

Xi and Putin Scold U.S. Over Golden Dome Plan in Beijing