German Expert on US, Russian Leaders' Visits to China: Current Geopolitics Relatively Favorable for Beijing
A German think tank scholar, Claus Soong, stated that the successive visits of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to China highlight a geopolitical landscape that is relatively advantageous for Beijing, as both the US and Russia need China to varying degrees. He also noted that Putin's visit aims to confirm that any improvement in US-China relations will not come at the expense of Russia's interests.
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- 📰 Published: May 19, 2026 at 16:54
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The successive visits of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to China have drawn global attention. Claus Soong, a China scholar at a German think tank, commented that the current geopolitical landscape places China in a relatively favorable position, as both the US and Russia need China to different extents. At the same time, the purpose of Putin's visit to China is to confirm that any improvement in US-China relations will not come at the expense of Russia's interests.
According to a Deutsche Welle report, Claus Soong, an expert at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin, analyzed that China's relatively advantageous position means it currently does not need to make a clear choice between the United States and Russia, nor does it need to rush to distance itself from the tense relations between Russia and the West.
Soong believes that after Donald Trump received a high-profile reception from Xi Jinping and seemingly left Beijing at ease, Vladimir Putin's trip might carry an exploratory tone, needing to confirm that any improvement in US-China relations would not be at the expense of Russia's interests.
He analyzed that for Beijing, while the China-Russia relationship remains a strategic priority, it does not mean the two countries are on equal footing. Today, Russia's dependence on China is far greater than China's dependence on Russia.
Soong noted that another point of interest is which country Russia would trust as a mediator if it wanted to end the war in Ukraine.
The report pointed out that signs like the significantly downsized WWII Victory Day parade on May 9 and Ukraine's continued attacks on Russian oil infrastructure suggest that Russia may be experiencing war fatigue. Some observers believe the Kremlin might be exploring possible ways to end the war.
Soong said that on the Ukraine issue, China does not want war, as it does not serve its long-term interests, and thus Beijing is unlikely to play a too-direct role in this conflict. However, the collapse of the Russian regime would be an even greater risk for Beijing, as a significantly weakened or even unstable Russia would pose direct strategic risks.
Regarding the anticipated "Xi-Putin meeting" on the 20th, Soong described China and Russia as "a couple in the same bed with different dreams," whose interests overlap but are not entirely identical. For China, one of the key interests is to secure a more reliable and sustainable energy supply while avoiding over-dependence on Russian oil, which would give Moscow too much leverage in negotiations.
He stated that for countries like China and Russia, agreements are "often just the beginning of a process, not the end." Some initiatives between the two countries have stagnated, and "there is simply no such thing as a 'no-limits partnership'." However, if China were to weigh the pros and cons between Europe and Russia, it is still Russia that can offer more to China.
According to a Deutsche Welle report, Claus Soong, an expert at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin, analyzed that China's relatively advantageous position means it currently does not need to make a clear choice between the United States and Russia, nor does it need to rush to distance itself from the tense relations between Russia and the West.
Soong believes that after Donald Trump received a high-profile reception from Xi Jinping and seemingly left Beijing at ease, Vladimir Putin's trip might carry an exploratory tone, needing to confirm that any improvement in US-China relations would not be at the expense of Russia's interests.
He analyzed that for Beijing, while the China-Russia relationship remains a strategic priority, it does not mean the two countries are on equal footing. Today, Russia's dependence on China is far greater than China's dependence on Russia.
Soong noted that another point of interest is which country Russia would trust as a mediator if it wanted to end the war in Ukraine.
The report pointed out that signs like the significantly downsized WWII Victory Day parade on May 9 and Ukraine's continued attacks on Russian oil infrastructure suggest that Russia may be experiencing war fatigue. Some observers believe the Kremlin might be exploring possible ways to end the war.
Soong said that on the Ukraine issue, China does not want war, as it does not serve its long-term interests, and thus Beijing is unlikely to play a too-direct role in this conflict. However, the collapse of the Russian regime would be an even greater risk for Beijing, as a significantly weakened or even unstable Russia would pose direct strategic risks.
Regarding the anticipated "Xi-Putin meeting" on the 20th, Soong described China and Russia as "a couple in the same bed with different dreams," whose interests overlap but are not entirely identical. For China, one of the key interests is to secure a more reliable and sustainable energy supply while avoiding over-dependence on Russian oil, which would give Moscow too much leverage in negotiations.
He stated that for countries like China and Russia, agreements are "often just the beginning of a process, not the end." Some initiatives between the two countries have stagnated, and "there is simply no such thing as a 'no-limits partnership'." However, if China were to weigh the pros and cons between Europe and Russia, it is still Russia that can offer more to China.