Just days after Donald Trump's lavish state visit to Beijing, Vladimir Putin arrived to celebrate his friendship with Xi Jinping. Both leaders were welcomed with ceremonies at the Great Hall of the People, with Xi expressing delight at their visits. However, beneath the smiles and handshakes, both China and Russia addressed the elephant in the room: Trump's recent visit.
Rivalling State Visits
The similarities between the two visits were unmistakable: red carpets, dances, lavish dinners, and talks about world peace. Trump and Putin each went to Beijing with different goals, and both achieved some, if not all, of their objectives. Yet, China is the one holding the cards at the moment.
Ironically, the visits were not initially intended to be so close together. Trump had planned to visit China in early April, but the war in Iran caused a postponement. The proximity has led many to compare them and declare a winner. Both the US and Russia strengthened ties with China, but Xi remains on top.
Russia's Reliance on China
Russia needs China. After Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, China became Russia's top trading partner. Putin relies heavily on Xi for energy and trade, especially as the war in Ukraine continues. China benefits from this leverage, having supplied Russia for nearly four years.
Trump, on the other hand, went to Beijing with different priorities. Rather than focusing on energy, the US and China are poised to form a 'board of trade' and 'board of investment' to strengthen trade agreements.
Subtle Digs at the US
During Putin's visit, there were subtle criticisms of the United States. Xi stated, 'The international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and transformation, while unilateral hegemonic currents are running rampant,' criticizing American foreign policy overreach. Russian expert Keir Giles from Chatham House noted, 'This can all be read as criticism of the United States, but Russia and China claim those same rights of aggression for themselves with Taiwan and Ukraine. It's hypocritical. The idea of a multipolar world implies their disgruntlement isn't because they disapprove of US actions, but because the US can do it and they can't.'
China Keeps Growing Stronger
The winner after both state visits appears to be China. Xi's position hasn't changed. Giles added, 'China can wait out the conflict between Russia and the wider world, and it can pick up the pieces when it's over. For now, China extracts maximum value by supplying Russia with money, drone components, nitrocellulose, and so on. Meanwhile, Russia grows weaker while China grows stronger. The upper hand is definitely with Beijing, and China has the luxury of not needing to publicly demand anything from Russia that Moscow would find uncomfortable—at least not yet.'
