Commentary: China’s geopolitical weight on display, but will Xi help Trump and Putin end their wars?
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- Xi welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on May 20, days after hosting U.S. President Donald Trump at a summit.
- Trump’s coercive strategy in Iran has not forced a regime collapse, and Iran continues to control shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Russia and China signed 22 technology and trade agreements, with China comprising about one‑third of Russia’s trade.
- China has not approved the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, preserving leverage over Russia.
- China and Russia issued a joint statement condemning U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran as violations of international law.
Why it matters: China’s refusal to green‑light the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline keeps Russia, which receives about one‑third of its trade from China, dependent on Chinese trade, limiting Moscow’s war financing; Iran’s Hormuz control sustains shipping costs, nudging oil prices higher.
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