David Pierson

Meeting President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Beijing, China’s leader called for a halt to fighting in the Middle East and took a veiled swipe at the United States.

With the upheaval in the Persian Gulf disrupting oil and gas supplies, Russia is looking to deepen its energy ties to China.

Having fought the Trump administration to a draw, China’s Xi Jinping is proposing “constructive strategic stability,” aimed at drawing lines he thinks the U.S. should not cross.

Encounters with other world leaders reveal a side of China’s leader that the public rarely sees, and offer clues to how he will approach President Trump in Beijing.

America’s ability to deter China in a war over Taiwan is weakened, Chinese analysts say, giving Beijing leverage in an upcoming summit with President Trump.

Despite the economic risks from the war, Beijing will likely stick to a hands-off approach. It is wary of being entangled in a conflict it opposed and has little sway over.

China used a visit by the Vietnamese leader to show a deepening of security ties that analysts say far outpaces U.S. defense ties in the region.

China has denied claims this month by U.S. intelligence that it might have shipped arms to Iran. In recent years, China has supported Iran with dual-use parts.

Trump’s agenda for the high-stakes meeting remains unclear to Beijing, Chinese analysts say, while American executives say they haven’t been invited along.

China is learning lessons from the war in Iran. Chief among them, the United States may pose an even greater threat than Beijing thought.

China’s play for U.S. allies has a problem: As Germany’s leader showed, Europe’s grievances with Beijing may run deeper than its frustration with Trump.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz laid out his complaints in a frank message to his hosts on a trip to Beijing that China had designed to showcase their relationship.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s trip will test his ability to address tensions between the countries, at a time of strain between Europe and Washington.