Overview
- Xi held at least five high-level meetings in Beijing this week, hosting Spain’s Pedro Sanchez, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled, and Vietnam’s leader To Lam.
- China and Russia vetoed a UN Security Council plan to coordinate efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, reinforcing Beijing’s stance against coercive action.
- President Trump said Beijing pushed Iran toward talks, but Chinese state media rejected that claim and said it wrongly shifts blame and duty onto China.
- Reporting points to a deliberate leverage strategy that links revived ties with North Korea, calibrated Iran messaging, and trade and tech pressure to shape summit terms.
- The meeting date remains unsettled as Beijing seeks relief on chip and AI export curbs and hints at larger U.S. purchases, with U.S. focus on the Iran war weakening its hand.