Putin in Beijing: Between Trump and Xi, Russia Searches for Its Place in a Changing World Order

The state visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to China concluded on Friday with a rare display of diplomatic warmth between Washington and Beijing. Yet beneath the carefully choreographed ceremony remained deep structural tensions capable of once again pushing the world’s two largest powers toward confrontation.

U.S. President Donald Trump Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping Xi Jinping sought on the first day of the American leader’s state visit to China to demonstrate readiness to stabilize relations between the world’s two largest economies. However, the talks exposed deep disagreements over Taiwan, Iran, global trade, and the architecture of international security.

When U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in China this week, the official agenda focused on trade, technology and the future of U.S.-China relations. But behind the diplomatic ceremonies and economic negotiations stood a far more dangerous question: whether China could help prevent a major crisis around Iran.

While Washington and Beijing continue exchanging tariffs, sanctions and accusations of technological espionage, a far more dangerous crisis may be discussed behind the scenes of President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to China — the possibility of a major war involving Iran.