Vladimir Putin tried to make eye contact with Xi Jinping during their meeting today, but it is clear that the Chinese president is the senior partner in the relationship between world leaders, according to a body language expert.
The Russian president met his Chinese counterpart for a summit in Beijing on Thursday, where the two leaders reaffirmed a “boundless” partnership that has deepened as both countries face deepening tensions with the West.
During Putin’s two-day state visit to one of his strongest allies, he thanked Xi for his effort to resolve the Ukraine conflict, as his country’s forces press an offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region. of Ukraine, in the largest border incursion since the full-scale invasion. The invasion began in February 2022.
The largely symbolic visit highlighted the partnership between two countries facing challenges in their relationship with the United States and Europe.
But amid the deepening partnership between the two nations, body language expert and author of 26 books on the subject, Judi James, said the meeting was perhaps more one-sided than Putin would like the world to believe.
The Russians used subtle ways to show the link between the two despots, James said. But Xi, he noted, “didn’t get the memo.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping today for a summit in Beijing. According to body language expert Judi James, the meeting was somewhat one-sided.
“A leader will go out of his way in terms of travel or how far he will walk to greet his guest, or he will employ dominance signals like Trump’s infamous ‘power shakes’ or even power pats,” he explained.
However, he added: ‘When world leaders want to show active and often strategic alliances, there will often be mutual acts of ingratiation in body language to signal a deep link with the rest of the world.
‘Putin clearly pays attention to these rituals here, but Xi’s responses suggest that he did not get the memo or read the rule books in terms of mutually active ingratiation rituals.
“There are clearly cultural differences to take into account, but the overall result makes Putin seem more willing to ingratiate himself and show connections.” [with his counterpart] here that a […] Xi, who appears to have a higher status, does,” who, according to James, was “simply polite.”
“Putin traveled to China first for the meeting and it is also he who here uses facial expressions and attentive signals of active friendship or collusion.”
Analyzing a photograph showing a handshake between the leaders, James said there was a notable difference in how Putin and Xi approached it.
Most analysts and commentators agree that Putin needs this relationship more than Xi.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchange bilateral documents during a meeting in Beijing, China, on May 16, 2024.
In the photo, “Xi looks forward with his arm raised to the side of his torso and palm up to shake Putin’s hand,” he said.
“His expression seems polite but his smile seems directed at the cameras.”
“Putin’s smile is more pronounced, with his cheeks raised and rounded, and his arm crossed over his body, making his attempted handshake seem more personal here.”
It also became clear there was a difference between the leaders as they walked side by side, with one photo showing Putin leaning down to speak to the much taller Xi in an attempt to get the Chinese leader’s attention.
“As the two men walk side by side, Xi appears to move forward, looking forward and looking enormously confident,” Ms James said.
“Putin appears to be actively trying to engage him in conversation here, but the pose suggests that it is Putin speaking while Xi is the higher-status listener.”
“Putin is using eye contact in what appears to be an attempt to get Xi’s attention and although Chinese business body language suggests that looking down while the other person speaks may be a sign of respect, Xi is looking forward instead. from below”.
He added: “Putin’s expression seems almost mischievous here, with a raised eyebrow and a smile in his eyes as he raises his hand to gesture.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend an official welcoming ceremony in front of the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square in Beijing today.
In another photo, Putin and Xi are seen exchanging documents.
James said there was some “mirroring” when the documents exchanged hands, but it was again Putin seeking Xi’s attention.
“As they exchange documents, there is a certain reflection in their smiles,” he said. But then again, it’s just Putin who uses eye contact.
‘When the two men shake hands [again] “On the steps of Beijing, it is again Putin who is trying to attract attention while Xi looks away,” he added.
Most analysts and commentators agree that Putin needs this relationship with China more than Xi needs his country’s relationship with Russia.
China has proven to be an economic lifeline for Russia after the West slapped Moscow with unprecedented sanctions on Ukraine, and Putin has spoken highly of his Chinese counterpart while waxing lyrical about his admiration for Chinese culture, even commenting that members of his family are learning Mandarin.
But both Putin and Xi want to show a united front in the face of pressure from the United States, said Hoo Tiang Boon, a professor who studies Chinese foreign policy at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.
“Both sides want to demonstrate that despite what is happening globally, despite the pressure that both sides face from the United States, both sides are not willing to turn their backs on each other anytime soon,” he told the Associated Press.
While both leaders said they sought an end to the war in Ukraine, they offered no new details in their public comments Thursday afternoon. China has significant influence as a key supporter of Russia’s invasion.
The country claims to take a neutral position in the conflict but has backed Moscow’s claims that the West provoked Russia to attack Ukraine and continues to supply Russia with key components Moscow needs for its weapons production.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping attend an official welcoming ceremony in front of the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
China proposed a broadly worded peace plan in 2023, but it was rejected by both Ukraine and the West for not calling on Russia to leave occupied parts of Ukraine.
“China hopes for Europe’s early return to peace and stability and will continue to play a constructive role in that regard,” Xi said, speaking alongside Putin.
His words echoed what China said last year when it first offered a comprehensive peace plan outlining broad principles for ending the war in Ukraine.
Putin said he will brief the Chinese leader in detail about “the situation in Ukraine” and said “we appreciate the initiative of our Chinese colleagues and friends to regulate the situation.” He added that the two planned to engage in further discussions on foreign policy in an informal meeting later on Thursday.
