Rosenberg: Putin enjoys Xi's Chinese welcome but heads home without pipeline deal

Rosenberg: Putin enjoys Xi's Chinese welcome but heads home without pipeline deal11 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleSteve RosenbergRussia Editor, MoscowEPAPutin and Xi Jinping have met more than 40 timesFor a moment you could have mistaken Beijing for Moscow.As Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping walked the red carpet towards the Great Hall of the People, a Chinese military band played the romantic Russian classic Moscow Nights."If only you knew how these Moscow Nights are dear to me," goes the refrain.Hidden in the notes, was there a hint of political romance?Even bromance...?"My dear friend," said Putin to Xi."My old friend," said Xi to Putin.It was the language of two leaders who like to show they've built a special relationship. They have had plenty of time to do so: they have met more than 40 times over the years.In their public statements they spoke of "strategic co-operation" between their nations, about "partnership", "mutual respect", "friendship" and "trust."Together they railed against the "irresponsible" nuclear policy of the United States and condemned Donald Trump's plan for a Golden Dome missile defence shield.On the eve of the visit the Russian government newspaper had published two big photos on its front page: one of a lonely-looking Trump climbing the steps of Air Force One at the end of his China trip last week; and beside it an old image of Putin and Xi walking together.The visual messaging was unmistakable: Russia and China are shoulder-to- shoulder on the world stage.But this is not a world of love songs, romance and bromance.This is geopolitics.And in the world of geopolitics relationships are rarely based on love and affection. It's often self-interest.At the Xi-Putin summit it became clear that there are limits to the love.Xi basks in spotlight as he hosts Putin days after TrumpWatch: Did Trump and Putin get the same treatme...