Watch: How did Xi treat Trump and Putin on their China visits?
China’s President Xi Jinping welcomed his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin with a lavish ceremony in Beijing complete with national flags, a marching band and cheering children.
It comes after a visit from Donald Trump last week, which began with a near-identical welcome ceremony for the US president – despite Beijing’s very different relationships with Washington and Moscow.
The BBC’s China correspondent Laura Bicker breaks down the diplomatic meaning behind the two warm welcomes.