China’s diplomatic outreach to both Washington and Moscow was on display as President Xi Jinping held separate calls with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Feb 4, underscoring Beijing’s parallel engagement with the two powers at a time of growing pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine and uncertainty surrounding nuclear arms control.
The conversations took place within hours of each other and helped lay the groundwork for a planned high-level China–US leaders’ meeting in April. At the same time, Beijing and Moscow reaffirmed the strength of their long-standing partnership.
Calling his discussion with Xi “very positive,” Trump said on Truth Social that the two leaders covered trade, military matters, Taiwan, the war in Ukraine, and Iran. He also referenced his upcoming April visit to China, saying he was “very much looking forward to” the trip. Trump added that China had agreed to step up purchases of US-grown soybeans.
“The relationship with China, and my personal relationship with President Xi, is an extremely good one, and we both realise how important it is to keep it that way,” Trump wrote.
According to China’s state news agency Xinhua, Xi expressed readiness to continue working with Trump to guide the “great ship of China-US relations through rough waters” and ensure steady progress toward broader cooperation. Xi also reiterated Beijing’s position on Taiwan, stating that the United States should handle arms sales to the island with caution.
Earlier the same day, Xi held a video call with Putin that lasted about 90 minutes. During the discussion, Xi said China and Russia should develop a “grand plan” for their relationship, which he described as being on the “right trajectory,” while noting that the global environment had become “increasingly turbulent” since the start of the year, Xinhua reported.
Putin characterized bilateral ties as a model of stability and said the Russia–China partnership remained an “important stabilising factor” amid rising global uncertainty. The call marked their first exchange of 2026 and came as Russia and Ukraine continue US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the nearly four-year conflict.
The timing of the conversations also coincided with the imminent expiration of the New START Treaty between the United States and Russia. Signed in 2010, the agreement limits the two countries’ strategic nuclear arsenals and is due to lapse on Feb 5, with no extension in place, raising concerns about a potential renewed arms race.
Xi’s latest diplomatic activity follows a series of recent engagements with Western leaders seeking to strengthen and recalibrate ties with China despite ongoing disagreements over Russia’s war in Ukraine. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Beijing in January, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to travel to China later in February.