Less than a week after Xi Jinping
rolled out the red carpet for US President Donald Trump, the Chinese leader is hosting another guest of honor — and this time it’s a close ally. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Chinese capital Tuesday for a state visit clearly calibrated to showcase Beijing and Moscow’s alignment in the face of global geopolitical upheaval.
China and Russia are both navigating shifting relationships with the Trump administration and are weighing up whether to play any role in helping to end a US-Iran conflict that has ensnared global oil supplies and distracted Washington from Russia’s own yearslong war in Ukraine.
