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 is set to arrive in the Chinese capital Tuesday for a state visit clearly calibrated to show Beijing and Moscow’s alignment in the face of global geopolitical upheaval.

Both Beijing and Moscow are navigating shifting relationships with Trump’s United States, and are weighing up whether to play any role in helping to end a US-Iran conflict that’s ensnared global oil supplies and distracted Washington from Russia’s own yearslong war in Ukraine.

That Xi is welcoming, within the space of a week, two world leaders who are both locked in seemingly intractable conflicts of their own making will hardly be lost on the Chinese government, which has used Trump’s war with Iran in particular to play up China as responsible, alternative global leader.

And both Beijing and Moscow have also looked to seize on Trump’s upending of traditional US foreign policy to advance their own vision of a world that’s not dominated by American power or a US-led alliance system.

This week’s visit is Putin’s 25th to China in his more than two decades as president – a period in which China and Russia have tightened cooperation across trade, security and diplomacy, driven by a shared mistrust of Washington and an apparent personal affinity between Putin and Xi – who typically refer to each other as “dear” or “old” friends. The two have met more than 40 times.

It’s a state level visit, so Putin is likely to be welcomed in a ceremony with similar levels of pomp and circumstance – from a red carpet to a military band – to the one Xi afforded Trump last week.

In a message he traditionally gives ahead of his trips to China, Putin hailed Russia-China relations as having reached a “truly unprecedented level.”

The two sides support “each other on matters affecting the core interests of both countries, including protection of sovereignty and state unity,” he said in a message published Tuesday.

Ahead of the visit, Chinese state media also carried articles praising the two countries’ “unshakeable” bonds in a “turbulent international situation.”

An article in the state-backed Global Times also framed the nearly back-to-back visits from the American and Russian leaders as a sign that China was “fast emerging as the focal point of global diplomacy.”

Xi’s recent meeting with Trump, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as their cooperation across energy, trade, and security are all expected to be part of the discussions between the two leaders set for Wednesday.

They are also set to tout their aligned worldview in a declaration on “establishing a multipolar world” and a “new type of international relations,” Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said earlier this week.

This is not the first time Putin and Xi have held talks in close proximity to diplomacy with the US. They spoke hours after Trump’s inauguration last year, days after Trump had spoken with Xi. Putin has also briefed Xi on past US-Russia talks on ending the war in Ukraine.

For Putin, his army’s recent losses in the now more than four-year war in Ukraine may put more pressure on the meeting.

China’s purchases of Russian oil and exports of dual use goods have been critical for Moscow’s war effort. They’ve also made the relationship an increasingly lopsided one, in which Moscow depends heavily on its wealthier and more technologically advanced neighbor.

Russia is already China’s top source for crude. Chinese buyers have lapped up the oil at a discount since the imposition of Western sanctions after Putin invaded Ukraine.

Conflict in the Middle East and the risk of future instability may now push Beijing to rely more on Russia for fuel.

Xi and Putin this week are expected to discuss the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, a long-mooted project, which took a step forward during Putin’s last visit to China in September 2025.

But not only for the sake of energy will the conflict in Iran likely loom large in talks, especially in the wake of Trump’s visit.

The US leader sought consensus with China on aspects of the conflict, with a White House statement saying the two leaders agreed on Iran not having a nuclear weapon and on re-opening the Strait of Hormuz.

Both China and Russia are close partners of Tehran and have played a key role in shielding it in the face of US sanctions in recent years. China is also the top buyer of US-sanctioned Iranian crude.

Russia has provided Iran with intelligence about the locations of American troops and assets, CNN reported as the conflict began. Last month, sources told CNN China was preparing to deliver weapons to Iran – an allegation Beijing denies.

Now, there are questions of whether they have any interest in being involved in a peace process, with Tehran previously voicing interest in China and Russia taking up the role of security guarantors.

Playing a role in ending the conflict could potentially win each goodwill with the United States, but would be navigated cautiously by both leaders as they protect their own partnerships, interests and global ambitions. (CNN)

Update news