Chinese leader Xi Jinping moved to position Beijing as a force for stability compared to the unpredictable US.

Following talks with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Xi warned against abandoning international law and reverting to “the law of the jungle,” a reference to the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, after earlier saying the world was “crumbling into disarray” during a trip by Spain’s leader.

He also hailed “precious” ties with Russia as Moscow’s foreign minister visited. The Iran war risks undermining an uneasy US-China détente ahead of President Donald Trump’s Beijing visit next month, when the US leader hopes to unveil a trade deal, but it also provides an opportunity for Xi to present himself as a reliable leader.