Chinese leader Xi Jinping is set to host his "old friend" Vladimir Putin less than a week after Donald Trump's high-profile visit, as Beijing seeks to project itself as a stable and predictable power in a world shaken by trade tensions, wars and an energy crisis.

China’s deep relationship with Russia remains a continuing cause for concern in the west, particularly since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine

Just days after hosting Donald Trump, China's Xi Jinping is set to welcome Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The meetings underscore Beijing's growing role in a fractured…