Beijing —
Less than a week after President Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet in front of US President Donald Trump, the Chinese leader will have another guest of honor – this time a close ally.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to arrive in the Chinese capital on Tuesday for a state visit aimed at underscoring cooperation between China and Moscow in the face of global geopolitical upheaval.
Both China and Russia are grappling with changes in their relationship with President Trump’s United States and are considering whether to play any role in helping end the U.S.-Iranian conflict, which threatens global oil supplies and diverts U.S. attention from Russia’s own years-long war in Ukraine.
Mr. Xi’s arrival in a week’s time will welcome two world leaders embroiled in a seemingly intractable conflict of his own making, especially for Beijing, which has used President Trump’s war with Iran to elevate China as a responsible alternative world leader.
And the Chinese and Russian governments are also using President Trump’s upending of traditional American foreign policy to advance their own visions of a world not dominated by American power or a system of American-led alliances.
Putin’s visit to China this week will be his 25th in more than 20 years as president. During this period, China and Russia have strengthened their trade, security, and diplomatic cooperation, driven by a shared distrust of Washington and an apparent personal affinity between Putin and Xi Jinping, who typically refer to each other as “dear” or “old” friends. The two have met more than 40 times.
Since this is a state-level visit, Putin is likely to be welcomed with a similar level of pomp and atmosphere to the ceremony Xi gave Trump last week, from red carpets to military bands.
In his traditional message before a visit to China, President Putin praised Russia-China relations as reaching a “truly unprecedented level.”
In a message released on Tuesday, the prime minister said the two countries “support each other on issues affecting the core interests of both countries, including the protection of sovereignty and national unity.”
Ahead of the visit, Chinese state media also published an article praising the “unshakeable” ties between the two countries in a “turbulent international situation.”
An article in the state-run Global Times also called the near-consecutive visits by US and Russian leaders a sign that China is “rapidly emerging as a focal point of global diplomacy.”
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Recent talks between Xi and Trump, the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, and cooperation in energy, trade and security are all expected to be part of talks between the two leaders scheduled for Wednesday.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said earlier this week that the two countries plan to promote a united worldview in a declaration on “establishing a multipolar world” and “a new type of international relations.”
This is not the first time that Putin and Xi have held a diplomatic-like meeting with the United States. The two met hours after Trump took office last year and days after Trump met with Xi. Putin also briefed Xi on past U.S.-Russian talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
For Putin, his military’s recent defeat in the more than four-year-old war in Ukraine could put further pressure on talks.
China’s purchases of Russian oil and exports of military supplies are critical to Russia’s war effort. They have also made relations increasingly lopsided, with Moscow relying heavily on its wealthier and more technologically advanced neighbors.
Russia is already China’s largest source of crude oil. Chinese buyers have been snapping up crude oil at discount prices since Western countries imposed sanctions after President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Conflicts in the Middle East and the risk of future instability could lead Beijing to increase its dependence on Russia for fuel.
Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin are scheduled to discuss this week the long-pending Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project, which took a step forward during Mr. Putin’s last trip to China in September 2025.
But beyond energy objectives, the Iran conflict is likely to figure prominently in negotiations, especially in the wake of President Trump’s visit.
The US leader sought an agreement with China on aspects of the conflict, and a White House statement said the two leaders had agreed to keep Iran free of nuclear weapons and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
China and Russia are both close partners of Tehran and have played key roles in defending Tehran in the face of U.S. sanctions in recent years. China is also the largest buyer of Iranian crude oil, which is sanctioned by the United States.
At the beginning of the conflict, CNN reported that Russia provided Iran with information on the location of US forces and assets. Last month, sources told CNN that China was preparing to supply arms to Iran, a claim the Chinese government denies.
There are now questions about whether the Iranian government is interested in getting involved in the peace process, and Tehran has previously expressed interest in having China and Russia play the role of security guarantors.
Playing a role in ending the conflict could win a friendship with the United States, but leaders of both countries will tread carefully to protect their partnership, interests, and global ambitions.
CNN’s Anna Chernova contributed to this report
