Xi, closer to Putin than to Trump, positions himself at the center of diplomacy

China is becoming the epicenter of world diplomacy. Official media boasts about it and, indeed, it seems that right now almost everything goes through Beijing, although it is not clear whether the solution to the many crises in the world will emerge from there. These days it has received a visit from Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, and last week it was the turn of Donald Trump, the President of the United States. In recent months, Xi Jinping has received the leaders of Canada, Germany, France, Great Britain, Spain, and South Korea, to name but a few, not to mention the visit at the beginning of the month by Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi. Thus, China has first-hand information about everything that is happening, but so far it has not become directly involved, although it is dropping some hints.

The most significant is, surely, that of the joint communiqués it has signed with Putin. Without mentioning Trump directly, the entire document is full of criticisms of his policy, with references to the "law of the jungle", to the "murders" and "kidnappings" of legitimate leaders –referring to Iran and Venezuela– or to "interference" in international trade in relation to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It is surprising that Putin shamelessly assumes that he is on the side of the "stabilizers" of world order, but all this must be read in the context of the "long friendship" between the Chinese and Russians, who have not stopped demonstrating their close relationship.

It seems there has been interest from the Chinese authorities for the reception of the two leaders to be balanced. However, in both tone and representation of the agreed accords, Putin seems to have gained, with whom there has been a photo of the signing of the agreed accords, even though he has not achieved all he was looking for either. The Russian president is in low spirits due to the economic crisis and the setback in the war in Ukraine –Xi told Trump that Putin now regretted invading Ukraine, according to the Financial Times–, and one of his objectives was to secure the signing of a second pipeline, Power of Siberia 2, which has been postponed again. Trump, however, achieved even less. Despite his triumphalism, the outcome of his trip was even considered a failure by some analysts, as few agreements were finalized. The Chinese side confirmed on Wednesday that an agreement has been reached to resume imports of American beef and also the purchase of about 200 Boeing aircraft. Trump, however, spoke of major agreements that, for the moment, have not been very concrete.

It is difficult to interpret what moves China is actually making right now, both to pressure Iran and the United States to end the conflict that has paralyzed traffic in Hormuz and to also contribute to stopping the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, or even to replace the American role in the humanitarian aspect in Africa or elsewhere. It remains to be seen if it will have the capacity to lead or co-lead the world order by overtaking the United States, both militarily and economically. What is certain, however, is that for now the narrative of a diplomatic power has been won. And that is no small thing.