Series of visits shows Beijing's anchoring role

There was a diplomatic whirl in Beijing over the past two weeks, as a steady stream of high-level visitors traveled to China — an unusually intensive diplomatic scheduling at a time when the conflicts in the Middle East have hit energy security and the sluggish world economy.

Among those who visited were Pedro Sanchez, prime minister of Spain; Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates; To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese president; Daniel Francisco Chapo, president of Mozambique; Saleumxay Kommasith, Laos' standing deputy prime minister; and Sergey Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister.

These trips by leaders and officials from Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Eurasia and Africa are seen as part of the changing landscape of global power, highlighting the broad appeal of China's diplomacy and its role as an anchor of stability in a turbulent world, observers said.

"The intensive diplomatic arrangement is not random scheduling. It reflects a widening circle of countries placing their confidence in China as a partner for practical cooperation and a source of stability amid an increasingly fragile global situation," said Ding Duo, a research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies.

Ding said that in a world where instability and uncertainty seem to multiply daily, China functions as a source of stability and predictability.

"This is not the product of short-term policy shifts. It grows from a consistent diplomatic strategy, from the long-held Eastern principle of not doing to others what one would not wish done to oneself, and from the composure that comes with being a responsible major country," the researcher added.

During his meetings with the foreign visitors, President Xi Jinping reiterated China's commitment to acting as a champion of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order.

He also used the diplomatic engagements to highlight the nation's readiness to share development opportunities with the rest of the world through win-win cooperation.

Xi told Sanchez that China has firm resolve in advancing Chinese modernization and the broad-mindedness to share development opportunities with the world through high-standard opening-up. China will inject confidence and momentum into global economic growth through its own development, he said.

The intensive high-level visits coincided with the convening of the Annual and Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group from April 13 to 18 in Washington, DC. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has cautioned that the war in Iran will leave "scarring effects" on the global economy, resulting in an output drop of roughly 3 percent in conflict-affected areas that will persist for years.

In an environment where economic growth is slowing across major economies, financial conditions remain tight, and intensifying tensions in the Middle East are adding renewed uncertainty to energy markets and global supply chains, the search for stability has become a defining priority for policymakers and markets alike.

Foreign trade up

Against this backdrop, China's economic trajectory is drawing increasing global attention.

According to data released by the General Administration of Customs on April 14, China's foreign trade reached 11.84 trillion yuan ($1.72 trillion) in the first quarter of 2026, representing a year-on-year increase of 15 percent.

Of this total, exports accounted for 6.85 trillion yuan, up 11.9 percent, while imports stood at 4.99 trillion yuan, marking a 19.6 percent increase.

Sanchez's China visit was viewed by international media as a signal of Spain seeking a pragmatic and independent path to expand economic cooperation with China while maintaining its transatlantic partnership.

Spanish radio station Onda Cero said in an opinion piece that Spain has realized that the world is changing, and that China is the most important piece on the board that can reshape the landscape.

To Lam used his four-day state visit to enhance traditional friendship and strategic connectivity between Vietnam and China, resulting in the signing of more than 30 bilateral cooperation agreements covering areas including economy, industrial and supply chain cooperation, customs cooperation, and science and technology.

Chapo's visit from April 16 to 22 was considered as more than a routine diplomatic engagement. From high-level talks with Xi in Beijing and factory visits in Changsha, Hunan province, to poverty reduction discussions in Qinghai province, the trip showed how China and Mozambique can work together on the ground. The visit also helped to map out a practical blueprint for a new stage of China-Africa cooperation — one that is increasingly defined not by promises, but by shared modernization.

Lavrov's visit focused on strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries to enhance the resilience of their respective development as well as coordinating positions on pressing global issues.

Saleumxay, serving as the special envoy of Thongloun Sisoulith, who is general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and president of Laos, used the visit to strengthen bilateral cooperation and steadily advance the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future toward high standards, high quality and high levels.

Matteo Giovannini, a finance professional at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and a nonresident associate fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, said that China's steady economic performance, combined with its forward-looking transformation and commitment to openness, positions it as a key anchor in a turbulent global economy.

"A stable Chinese economy helps anchor global supply chains, supports demand for commodities and manufactured goods, and provides a degree of predictability for international investors," he said. "In a period of heightened uncertainty, this stability becomes an increasingly valuable global public good."

During his meeting with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Xi put forward a four-point proposal on promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, calling for remaining committed to the principles of "peaceful coexistence, national sovereignty, international rule of law, and a balanced approach to development and security".

In addition to discussing the Middle East situation with China, the crown prince also used the visit to secure multiple cooperation agreements in fields including agriculture and science and technology.

Ahmed Saeed Al-Alawi, editor-in-chief of Al-Ain News in the UAE, said that the China visit by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi took place at a moment of heightened sensitivity in regional and international affairs, and that holds deeper significance.

He said that the UAE no longer views China merely as an economic partner but rather as an important strategic pillar in the international political landscape.