• Beijing prepares to host US president in April
• Kremlin says leaders’ views on US ‘practically matched’
BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, state broadcaster CCTV reported, just hours after a video call with Russian President Vladimir Putin where both leaders vowed to strengthen ties against a “turbulent” global landscape.
The conversation with Trump occurred ahead of an expected visit by the US president to China in April.
State media shared no details on the call, the first since November, during a period when Beijing is presenting itself as a stable option compared to an unpredictable Washington.
Earlier on Wednesday, Xi and Putin held a high-level video summit that the Kremlin said lasted nearly 90 minutes.
During the session, Putin accepted an invitation to visit China in the first half of 2026 and attend the APEC regional summit in November. The leaders hailed their “exemplary” partnership as Moscow increasingly relies on China to keep its economy afloat amid Western sanctions over Ukraine offensive.
“Since the beginning of the year, the international situation has become increasingly turbulent,” Xi told Putin. “Both sides should... ensure that China-Russia relations continue to develop steadily along the right track, through deeper strategic coordination.”
Putin addressed Xi as a “dear friend,” stating their alliance remains a “stabilising factor.” According to the Kremlin, the pair’s opinions on the US “practically matched”.
The calls follow a flurry of diplomacy in Beijing, where leaders from France, Canada, and Finland have visited recently.
Xi affirmed support for a UN-centered global system, amid concerns Trump’s “Board of Peace” could rival it.
Amid tariff threats and global instability, Xi has emphasised “strategic coordination” with major powers to navigate the shifting geopolitical order.
The video call coincided with Russian, Ukrainian, and US negotiators meeting in Abu Dhabi for talks on ending the nearly four-year war, Europe’s worst conflict since WWII.
China has not condemned Russia’s war or urged troop withdrawal, and Ukraine’s allies suspect China supports Moscow.During the call, Putin did not mention Ukraine, but the Kremlin later stated that Xi supported the Abu Dhabi negotiations.
Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2026
