BEIJING -- Beijing's diplomatic calendar in May featured a flurry of high-level engagement with major countries.

In the Chinese capital, President Xi Jinping hosted his US and Russian counterparts, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, in a week's time, placing China at the center of discussions over how the world's major countries manage differences, navigate competition and expand cooperation.

The almost back-to-back summits came amid major changes unseen in a century and an ever-evolving international landscape. At a moment when the world stands at yet another critical crossroads, the call for peace and development has grown louder, and the demand for stability and direction more urgent.

Over the past six months, Xi has maintained close communication with US and Russian leaders and hosted many other foreign leaders in Beijing. Taken together, these engagements, which reflect China's broader diplomatic effort to keep major-country relations steady, are injecting greater certainty into a turbulent world.