St. Petersburg, Russia (CNN)Chinese President Xi Jinping had the ultimate tour guide on his visit to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum this week: His “bosom friend,” Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin released photos late Thursday of Putin showing Xi around his hometown, the former imperial capital of tsarist Russia. The Chinese leader saw works from the Renaissance collection of the State Hermitage Museum, and got an evening boat cruise with the Kremlin leader. The rest of St. Petersburg, meanwhile, seemed to be out at the cafes.
But the friendly atmosphere was more than just the usual display of Russian-Chinese friendship. The St. Petersburg Economic Forum was an occasion for Putin and Xi to show a unified front in a broader confrontation with Washington.
