China and ‌Russia have cast Putin's two-day trip this week — his 25th visit to China — as further evidence of their "all-weather" partnership, even as the West urges Beijing to pressure Moscow into ending its war in Ukraine.

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While China presents itself as a peace mediator in the conflict and a neutral party, Putin says China and Russia support each other's "core interests" as he pursues additional energy deals with the world's second-largest economy in the face of Western sanctions.

"The Xi-Putin summit will telegraph to ​the world that the China-Russia strategic partnership remains the cornerstone of both countries' foreign policies and that any attempt by the U.S. to drive a wedge between them is ​destined to fail," said Ian Storey, principal fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

The visit follows Trump's trip last week, which generated positive optics ⁠but few major commercial agreements. Xi described Sino-U.S. ties as a relationship of "strategic stability," challenging the "strategic competition" framework associated with former U.S. President Joe Biden.


By hosting foreign leaders, China is seeking to strengthen ​its image as a pillar of global stability, in contrast to U.S. struggles to end the war in Ukraine and contain a separate conflict with Iran that has disrupted global energy flows.

During ​state visits, Beijing tries to reassure Western trading partners, including the U.S., about its rise as an economic and technological power while downplaying risks in their ties.

The White House said after Trump's China visit that a consensus had been reached on issues that will enhance "stability" for global businesses and consumers.

At the same time, China's engagement with countries such as Russia also reinforces its message that its diplomacy is consistent and not swayed by the actions of strategic ​partners, despite Western pressure.

"It's unrealistic to expect Xi to put pressure on Putin to end the war in Ukraine. Xi doesn't wield that kind of influence over Putin and in any case the ​Chinese understand how a defeat for Russia in Ukraine would weaken Putin's political standing," said Storey.