More geostrategic roads are undeniably leading to Beijing. Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Chinese capital this week and his summit meeting with President Xi Jinping should be viewed both in conjunction with and in contrast to American President Donald Trump's similar outing less than a week earlier.
Given recent fluid manoeuvres on the global geostrategic chessboard, China under Mr Xi has become the pivotal, central player above others at this time. Russia needs China's support to see through its war in Ukraine toward a workable settlement. Mr Trump needs Mr Xi's help in persuading Iran to make concessions on uranium enrichment and on Tehran's blockade of the globally vital Strait of Hormuz and Washington's denial of Iranian shipping on the same waterway. China is now the senior in Russia's junior partnership and patron to Iran. Beijing's geostrategic capital and leverage have never been higher.
