Welcoming World Leaders
Cheering children - check. Military honour guard – check. Cannon fire and marching band - check.
Vladimir Putin's welcome outside the Great Hall of the People closely mirrored the reception given to Donald Trump just days earlier.
Two significant presidential visits in quick succession perfectly illustrate the image Xi Jinping aims to project internationally: engaging with all major powers without exclusive alignment.
For China, these visits demonstrate that its vast economy and growing diplomatic influence have positioned Beijing as a central hub in global affairs.
"The new era of world affairs is less centered around the West," says Samir Puri from Kings College London.
"There is a lot of latent power that China has on the world stage, it's not necessarily using it in its most direct form to settle conflicts, instead China's style is to try to utilise its stature in a more gradual sense."
The optics were strikingly similar, with Xi confidently hosting both leaders. However, the political contexts of the two visits were markedly different.
Putin, who has visited China over 20 times, appears to share a close personal rapport with Xi. Yet, the ongoing war in Ukraine and Western sanctions have increased Russia’s dependence on Beijing, now its top trading partner and largest customer for oil and gas.
The partnership has long been unequal, a reality underscored during this visit. Talks concluded with over 20 agreements on trade and technology, but no approval was given for the long-delayed Russian gas pipeline project that Putin has advocated for years. A comprehensive joint statement failed to deliver major breakthroughs.
"Both China and Russia need each other, but Russia clearly needs China more than before at the global stage," says Dr Zheng Runyu, from the Centre for Russian Studies at the East China Normal University in Shanghai.
"Given today's international environment, deep co-operation with China is extremely important for Russia in dealing with many of its current challenges."
Meanwhile, Xi also held a strong position in negotiations with the US president. China’s enhanced trade relations worldwide and dominance in rare earth minerals and advanced manufacturing have provided leverage. Beijing now stands on more equal footing with Washington, especially following Trump’s unpredictable approach.
In discussions with both Trump and Putin, Xi engaged with leaders entangled in prolonged, costly conflicts. Trump faces a Middle East war that has escalated into a global crisis, damaging his domestic approval ratings. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, now in its fifth year, has isolated Russia and inflicted severe hardship on its population.
In both cases, it appears China now wields the power to influence the tone and terms of its global engagement.
Xi's Chinese Dream
This represents a remarkable diplomatic turnaround for China, which five years ago seemed on the brink of isolation.
Its borders were closed due to the pandemic, which then-President Trump had labeled a "Chinese virus." Relations with Western countries had deteriorated sharply amid the rise of "wolf warrior" diplomacy, characterized by aggressive rhetoric from Chinese diplomats and state media aimed at silencing Western criticism.
International condemnation also grew over serious human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Beijing’s increasing control over Hong Kong, prompting Western governments to impose sanctions and export controls on Chinese goods. China responded with countermeasures.
Yet, five years later, China has repositioned itself as an indispensable center of global diplomacy and trade.
Rather than being viewed as a problem to contain, China has become a power to engage.
Beijing has moderated its diplomatic style, likely recognizing practical realities. Its economic slowdown necessitates increased foreign investment and trade, which require stable international relations. Moreover, excessive confrontation was pushing important regional trading partners, such as South Korea, the Philippines, and Vietnam, closer to Washington.
The timing has also been crucial. Since the US elected Donald Trump, China has repaired relations with Australia, Canada, and the UK—all key US allies. World leaders from Canada, the UK, and Germany have visited Beijing to negotiate deals with the world’s second-largest economy.
For the past decade, Xi has pledged to work toward "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," and last week’s diplomatic activity served as powerful domestic propaganda: Xi appeared as the leader everyone seeks to engage.
However, the visit also highlights the limits of China’s diplomatic influence.
A Diplomatic Tightrope
Xi mentioned only one conflict explicitly—the war in the Middle East.
He told Putin that a complete end to the war in Iran was of "utmost urgency," but made no reference to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Both Xi and Putin condemned "treacherous military strikes against other countries, the hypocritical use of negotiations as cover for preparing such strikes, the assassination of leaders of sovereign states, the destabilisation of the domestic political situation in these states and the provocation of regime change, and the brazen kidnapping of national leaders for trial."
This rhetoric was striking and may have implications beyond the Great Hall of the People.
As China calls for the resolution of conflicts elsewhere and criticizes US actions, its silence on Ukraine—where hundreds of thousands have died—raises questions in Europe about Beijing’s willingness or ability to act as a genuinely impartial global actor.
Beijing has sought to maintain neutrality in the Ukraine conflict, despite pressure from the US and Europe to sever the economic lifeline it provides Moscow.
China fears losing a key ally if Putin is defeated and is concerned about instability in such a large neighboring country.
"Obviously, Xi Jinping could take the easier way out and say nothing about it," said Samir Puri. "Of course, tacitly this means - Russia carry on with your invasion.
If there's any discussion about what a ceasefire or post-war future might look like, I would be surprised. I think it's still a very ambiguous issue as to whether China wants to use its influence with regards to Russia's war in Ukraine."
In contrast, the war in Iran directly impacts Chinese interests. Beijing has oil stockpiles, but the ongoing crisis blocking the Strait of Hormuz presents a significant challenge.
Calling for an end to one war but not the other affects Xi’s credibility as China seeks a more central role on the world stage. It also risks straining relations with Europe at a time when Beijing aims to strengthen ties to support its export-driven economy.
Despite the impressive diplomacy of the past week, Xi faces a difficult path ahead because China’s authoritarian leadership, which has consolidated power under Xi, remains controversial and mistrusted by many.
