Estonian analyst: Trump and Putin visits to China reveal Beijing's global influence

International Centre for Defence and Security researcher Toomas Hanso says the recent visits of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and major European leaders to China reflect the country's current global influence. Hanso shared his assessment on ETV's foreign affairs programme Välisilm.

Toomas Hanso, a junior research fellow at the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) in Tallinn, has argued that a wave of high-profile visits to Beijing — including those by [Donald Trump](/politicians/donald-trump) and [Vladimir Putin](/politicians/vladimir-putin) — illustrates just how central China has become to global geopolitics.

Speaking on ETV's foreign affairs programme *Välisilm*, Hanso noted that the willingness of both the US and Russian presidents, as well as leaders of major European nations, to travel to Beijing signals China's growing weight in international affairs. According to Hanso, these visits are not coincidental, but reflect a deliberate acknowledgement of Beijing's leverage.

The analyst's remarks come at a time when China's role as a potential mediator and economic powerhouse is drawing attention from across the political spectrum. Both Western governments and Moscow appear eager to cultivate ties with Beijing, even as their own relations remain deeply strained over the war in Ukraine and broader geopolitical competition.

For Estonia and its Baltic neighbours, China's expanded global role carries direct implications. As a NATO member acutely aware of Russian aggression, Estonia has a strong interest in how Beijing navigates its relationships with both Washington and Moscow — particularly regarding any potential Chinese support for Russia's war effort.