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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Beijing for a two-day visit as the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is directly impacting China’s energy supply.

Some shit you should know: If you’re unaware, China imports roughly a third of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, making the US blockade an economic problem as much as a geopolitical one. China and Russia have grown increasingly aligned since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the two countries have both condemned the US and Israel’s war on Iran. Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing next month for a summit with Xi Jinping, and he warned Sunday that China, Russia, or any other country would face a 50% tariff on its goods if it provided military assistance to Iran.

What’s going on now: Lavrov met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday, where the two discussed the Iran war, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and other issues. The visit also included the two sides formalizing a ministry-level engagement plan for 2026 (widely seen as groundwork for a Putin-Xi meeting later this year). In his opening remarks, Lavrov signaled a Putin visit was already on the calendar, saying “these contacts are already planned.”

Lavrov also claimed that Western countries are “trying to dismantle regional cooperation by creating small-format, bloc-based structures aimed at containing both the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation.”

This all comes as US intelligence believes China is actively considering how to provide military support to Iran (CNN reported a shipment of shoulder-fired missiles was being prepared for delivery within weeks, while the New York Times said one had already gone out). China’s embassy denied both reports, with the foreign ministry calling the stories “completely fabricated.”

Notably, Xi has been meeting with multiple world leaders significantly impacted by the conflict in Iran. In the last week, he’s met with the Spanish Prime Minister, the UAE’s crown prince, and Vietnam’s president.