Janice R. Andrews
Amidst a tense geopolitical environment, the protracted war in Ukraine has drawn the attention of major world powers, especially China and Russia. The complex dance between these two countries emerges as Russian President Vladimir Putin sets off on a two-day visit to China, exposing common goals, economic reliance, and geopolitical alliances that influence the course of international affairs.
Putin’s first trip to China since winning a fifth term in office highlights the importance of Sino-Russian ties in the face of tightening Western sanctions. Putin is traveling with a large trade group in an attempt to strengthen China’s leader Xi Jinping’s strategic alliance in addition to their economic cooperation. While ideological and cultural differences may not be what unite China and Russia, analysts note that the practical tenet of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” is what drives their alignment.
China and Russia have a symbiotic connection that has become stronger in light of the Ukrainian crisis. Russia’s economy is supported by growing commerce with China, thanks to governmental subsidies and wartime manufacturing. But as a result of this economic dependency, there is now a power imbalance, with Russia becoming more and more dependent on China for financial assistance. Securing support for large-scale initiatives like the Siberia-China natural gas pipeline is part of Putin’s strategy in China. The pipeline is intended to strengthen Russia’s energy connections with China in the face of sanctions-related declines in European markets.
But China has a complex stand on the conflict in Ukraine. Beijing is benefiting from the conflict’s continuation even as it openly supports peace. According to analysts, the US’s ongoing backing for Ukraine is impeding Russia’s rapid triumph, which is in line with China’s desire to keep Moscow from depending only on Beijing. Furthermore, China has strategic advantages from a weaker Russia, which may give it access to cutting-edge military hardware and tip the scales of power in the world.
Beyond their immediate objectives, China and Russia both have ambitions to subvert Western dominance in the international system. With their aligned goals, their growing union presents a serious threat to the current global order. China has a more ambitious goal of drastically changing the fundamentals of the global order, while Russia is more concerned with rearranging the balance of power in Europe.
Russia and China’s involvement in the crisis in Ukraine is a reflection of their intricate web of ideological, geopolitical, and economic interests. Beijing strikes a tightrope between promoting peace and reaping the geopolitical benefits of a protracted struggle, while Russia tries to lessen its economic vulnerabilities and strengthen its relationship with China. The consequences ripple throughout the international scene, forming the outline of a new world order as these two countries coalesce in their quest to overthrow Western domination.
