Just days after Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping has welcomed Vladimir Putin for a major state visit amid growing global tensions. The high-profile summit is expected to focus on the wars in Ukraine and West Asia, the Strait of Hormuz crisis, Russia-China energy cooperation, and shifting ties with the United States. With China already heavily reliant on Russian crude oil, the ongoing Middle East turmoil could deepen Beijing-Moscow strategic coordination. Analysts say the back-to-back visits by Trump and Putin underline China’s rapidly growing role as the centre of global diplomacy and geopolitical negotiations.