Xi Hosts Putin Days after Trump Visit in Display of China’s Balancing Act
Both China and Russia maintain close relations with Tehran and have helped shield Iran from Western sanctions over recent years.
Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a gala concert held at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia’s capital, to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the leaders. Photo by Anadolu Images.
C
hinese President Xi Jinping is set to welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing just days after hosting U.S. President Donald Trump, highlighting China’s effort to position itself at the center of global diplomacy amid escalating international conflicts.
Putin’s arrival for a state visit underscores the increasingly close relationship between China and Russia, as both countries seek to challenge U.S. global influence while navigating growing instability caused by the wars in Iran and Ukraine.
The Kremlin said Putin and Xi are expected to discuss energy cooperation, the Middle East conflict, the war in Ukraine and their shared vision of a “multipolar world” less dominated by Washington and Western alliances.
The visit will be Putin’s 25th trip to China during his presidency and reflects the deepening partnership between the two powers, built around expanding trade ties, military coordination and shared opposition to U.S. policies.
China projects itself as alternative global power
The back-to-back visits by Trump and Putin are being portrayed by Chinese state media as evidence that Beijing has become a central player in world affairs.
Chinese outlets described the China-Russia relationship as “unshakeable” despite growing geopolitical tensions, while emphasizing Beijing’s role as what officials call a more stable and responsible global actor.
Analysts say Xi is carefully balancing relations with both Washington and Moscow at a time when the United States is deeply involved in the Iran conflict and Russia remains isolated by Western sanctions over the Ukraine war.
Trump’s visit last week focused heavily on the war with Iran and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The White House said Trump and Xi agreed that Iran should not obtain nuclear weapons and supported restoring maritime traffic through the strait.
But Beijing has also maintained strong ties with Tehran and Moscow, complicating its position.
China remains Iran’s largest oil customer and has resisted U.S. pressure to cut economic ties with Tehran. Meanwhile, Russia has reportedly provided intelligence support to Iran during the conflict, according to CNN.
Energy cooperation central to Beijing-Moscow ties
Energy is expected to be one of the key issues discussed during the Xi-Putin meeting.
China has become Russia’s largest energy customer since Western sanctions were imposed after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Chinese companies have increased purchases of discounted Russian oil, helping support Russia’s economy and war effort.
The leaders are also expected to discuss the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, a long-delayed project that would significantly expand Russian natural gas exports to China.
Analysts say instability in the Middle East and uncertainty around Iranian oil supplies may increase Beijing’s interest in securing more long-term Russian energy imports.
The growing economic relationship, however, has also made Russia increasingly dependent on China, particularly in technology, trade and access to international markets.
Iran conflict creates new diplomatic calculations
The ongoing war involving Iran is likely to feature heavily in the talks.
Both China and Russia maintain close relations with Tehran and have helped shield Iran from Western sanctions over recent years. China purchases large amounts of sanctioned Iranian crude oil, while Moscow and Beijing have both criticized U.S. military actions against Iran.
At the same time, analysts say Beijing and Moscow are cautious about becoming too deeply involved in efforts to negotiate peace between Washington and Tehran.
Iran has reportedly expressed interest in China and Russia acting as security guarantors in a future agreement, but both countries appear focused primarily on protecting their own strategic interests.
For Xi, the simultaneous engagement with Trump and Putin reflects an effort to strengthen China’s image as a global power capable of speaking to all sides while advancing its own geopolitical ambitions.
For Putin, the visit comes at a difficult moment as Russia faces continued military pressure in Ukraine and growing dependence on Chinese economic support.
The summit is expected to reinforce the message that despite U.S. efforts to isolate Moscow and pressure Beijing, the strategic partnership between China and Russia remains strong.
(Source: CNN)
