When US President Donald Trump visited China last week, there were warm words and well-orchestrated photo opportunities with his host Xi Jinping, a leader Trump described as a “pretty cool guy”.
But despite the pomp and ceremony, Trump left China without any concrete deals, and this week the Chinese president will be hosting a guest he knows well – and with whom he is building a relationship to challenge American dominance.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is flying to China for his own official state visit, the latest of more than 40 occasions when the two leaders have met.
Shorts
For Xi – who has recently hosted leaders from the UK, France, Canada and Iran – experts say the talks are all about power, who has it and how they use it – and in that battle, Putin is beating Trump hands down.
