As Soon as He Got Off the Plane, Putin Publicly Humiliated Him – Xi Jinping’s Face Was Twisted with Rage

At the airport welcoming ceremony, Russia greeted Xi Jinping with a wide strip of red paint brushed onto the concrete. (Video screenshot)

[People News] On May 7, Xi Jinping arrived at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport by special plane, and the person who greeted him was a relatively unknown female Deputy Prime Minister, along with a few other government officials. Not only that, the red carpet that usually symbolises honour was nowhere to be seen—instead, a wide red stripe of paint had been rolled directly onto the concrete. Xi’s face twisted with anger on the spot...

According to the Jiang Feng Time video report, on May 7, Xi Jinping’s plane landed at Vnukovo Airport. But to everyone’s surprise, the welcoming party didn’t include Putin, nor even the Russian Prime Minister. Instead, there was only a woman named Tatyana Golikova, a deputy prime minister, flanked by a few other officials.

The whole scene instantly lost its grandeur. But what shocked observers even more was the “red carpet”—to be frank, there wasn’t one. It was just a wide strip of red paint brushed directly onto the cement. Sure, it looked red, but it was hard as stone underfoot. This wasn’t a careless mistake or a budget issue; in diplomatic circles, it’s a widely recognised signal of downgrading a visitor’s status.

So, what is the red carpet? It’s more than just decoration—it’s a ceremonial gesture, a visible acknowledgement of the visitor’s stature. Which head of state visits another country without a red carpet? It sends a clear message to the world: “You’re a distinguished guest, we value you, and you deserve the pomp and circumstance.”

But this time? No carpet—just a red-painted path. No one says it aloud, but the underlying message is loud and clear. It’s as if they almost wrote on the ground: “You’re not the most important one anymore.”

When compared with a previous visit, the message becomes even clearer. Remember the 2023 visit? Also in Moscow, but that time, the red carpet was clearly laid out, and the reception was warm. Putin personally came to the airport, walked side by side with Xi down a formal red carpet, smiling, waving, and chatting for the cameras. The atmosphere was described as one of “old friends reunited,” widely reported by global media.

Now, two years later, Putin doesn’t even show up, and they couldn’t even bother with a real carpet. The change sends a clear message: the days of “unbreakable Sino-Russian closeness” are over—now, the relationship is merely that of standard cooperation.

In international relations, subtle ceremonial gestures often convey the real stance. To save face, the Russians still went through the motions—military band playing the national anthem, honour guard lined up, Xi inspecting the troops. But these are just routine procedures. The real significance lies in who comes to greet you, whether you share a meal together, and whether you appear side by side on camera. Putin not showing up equals a clear denial of respect.

What did the Russian side say afterwards? That it was for “security reasons” that Putin didn’t come to the airport. But in diplomatic circles, who really buys that explanation? Putin’s absence was a deliberate cold shoulder, not an open break, but definitely a sign that he’s not going out of his way anymore.

For Xi Jinping, this was no ordinary embarrassment. As the leader of a major power, he’s used to red carpets, VIP treatment, and being in the global spotlight. Now, stepping off the plane, he’s met by a deputy prime minister—and a woman at that—with nothing but a painted strip of concrete as a welcome. This is a very public downgrade of China’s international standing.