Beijing prepares May visits by Trump and Putin: could, for the first time, host the leaders of the US and Russia outside of summits

In May 2026 Beijing could, for the first time within a single month outside multilateral formats, host in succession the leaders of the United States and Russia: the visit of US President Donald Trump is tentatively scheduled for 14–15 May, and Vladimir Putin’s arrival could occur shortly thereafter.

Such plans are reported by South China Morning Post, emphasizing that this would be a unique configuration of bilateral contacts in a short time frame for the Chinese capital.

According to the publication, preparations for Trump’s trip have been underway for some time, but it was postponed by several weeks due to US and Israeli military actions against Iran. In Beijing, officials are currently refraining from confirming exact dates, stressing that the parties maintain working contact.

In Moscow, preparations are being made in parallel for Putin’s visit to China in the first half of 2026. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said that the dates of the visit are still being finalized and will be announced separately.

The publication’s interlocutors do not rule out that the Russian leader’s trip could take place in May — shortly after the American visit.

Earlier we wrote:

• FT: Russia is secretly preparing to transfer drones to Iran. After US and Israeli strikes — first lethal aid
• Trump warned of a very serious strike on Iran on the night of March 8
• Trump is making a risky bet against Iran
• Putin called the killing of Khamenei a cynical violation of international law
• China expressed opposition to Russia’s defeat in the war with Ukraine: consequences for global geopolitics