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Are China and Russia Really Allies? — The Basics You Need to Know
As of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, China has become closer to Putin, at least outwardly. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has been balancing support for Putin without exactly aligning with Russia on its full-scale invasion, which Xi Jinping never endorsed.
Pragmatically speaking, Putin and Xi Jinping function as allies. Both see themselves as important and key players on the global stage. In China’s case, that’s most certainly true. In Russia’s case, they function more like a regional power, with some previous influence over the European Union, but without significant trade ties with the U.S. — up until more recently, the most important economy.
So, what is it about China and Russia’s alliance? Is there more to it than wanting to combat the West’s global hegemony?
Let’s discuss.
It is no secret that Xi Jinping has frequently praised Putin for his political leadership in Russia. In fact, Xi Jinping has often highlighted their frequent meetings and communication as an essential component for maintaining the China-Russia partnership.
As I hinted at in my introduction, the two leaders believe it is their duty to throw the U.S. from its global hegemony — a position the U.S. is slow to give up.
