Xi Hosted Putin in Beijing a Week After Talks With Trump—and Publicly Called for an End to the War With Iran

During the meeting at the Great Hall of the People, Xi said that a “wave of unilateral hegemony is gaining strength”, remarks widely interpreted by Western media as an indirect jab at Washington. The Chinese leader also called for a “complete cessation of hostilities” in the Middle East and warned that any renewed escalation would be “unacceptable.”

The comments came as the Trump administration continues discussing the possibility of resuming strikes against Iran. Military operations were paused after a ceasefire was announced last month, but the United States is still pushing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Xi separately highlighted the consequences of the crisis for China’s economy. Roughly 40 percent of China’s oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and the continuing blockade of the route has fueled concerns over global supplies and international trade.

“An early end to the conflict would help reduce risks to stable energy supplies, the uninterrupted functioning of production and logistics chains, and the international trading order,” Xi said.

Following the visit, Moscow and Beijing are expected to sign a series of economic and trade agreements. Xi said relations between the two countries had “entered a new phase of more active engagement and accelerated development.”

Yet beneath the display of unity, a significant imbalance remains visible. Since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine, Russia has become increasingly dependent on China—not only economically, but also for dual-use technologies that can be applied in the military sphere.

Moscow is also seeking to deepen energy cooperation. Against the backdrop of disrupted oil supplies caused by the war with Iran, Russia’s role as an energy supplier to China has grown more important. Putin, who arrived in Beijing alongside executives from major Russian energy companies, is once again trying to advance the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project.

The project would route gas from Siberia to northwestern China through Mongolia. Beijing, however, remains wary of becoming overly dependent on a single energy supplier.

According to Western analysts, Russia may also be offering China cooperation in military technologies, although any such arrangements are unlikely to be disclosed publicly.

The meeting itself, coming shortly after Trump’s visit to Beijing, signaled that China and Russia continue to position themselves as a counterweight to the West. Xi described Moscow and Beijing as states defending “international fairness and justice,” and said their relationship had withstood “countless trials.”

At the same time, Beijing continues to maintain relations with Washington. China still faces risks tied to U.S. tariffs, restrictions on technology exports, and American support for Taiwan.

The protocol surrounding Xi’s meetings with Trump and Putin in Beijing underscored his attempt to balance the two directions of Chinese foreign policy. Putin, like Trump several days earlier, received a ceremonial welcome featuring an honor guard, salutes, and children participating in the reception.

However, the level of officials greeting them differed. Trump was welcomed at the airport by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, while Putin was received by China’s top diplomat Wang Yi. According to Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, Han formally holds a higher-ranking office, but Wang Yi plays a more influential role in Chinese foreign policy.

During his meeting with Trump, Xi also adopted a notably warm tone. On Friday, he invited the American president into Zhongnanhai—the closed government compound that serves as the residence of China’s leadership and is rarely opened to foreign leaders.

According to sources, Trump asked Xi whether he had hosted other world leaders there.

“Very rarely,” the Chinese president replied. “For example, Putin has been here.”