At the invitation of President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation paid a state visit to China from 19 to 20 May 2026. During the visit, the two countries issued a joint statement on further strengthening comprehensive strategic coordination and deepening good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation.

The statement noted that the two countries will continue to advance the construction of Tianwan and Xudabu nuclear power plants, ensuring they are completed and operational on schedule. They will also deepen their cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, gradually expanding it to include areas such as thermonuclear fusion, fast reactor, and closed nuclear fuel cycle. They will also explore potential cooperation in the front end of nuclear fuel cycle and in joint nuclear power plant construction projects, taking a “package” approach based on the principles of mutual benefit and balanced interests.

In the presence of the Chinese and Russian presidents, relevant departments and enterprises from both countries signed several cooperation documents. These included a Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific and Technological Cooperation in the Field of Controlled Nuclear Fusion between the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China and the State Atomic Energy Corporation of the Russian Federation, and a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Talent Development for the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy between the China Atomic Energy Authority and the State Atomic Energy Corporation of the Russian Federation.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency)