Russian President Putin Will Be In Beijing This Friday For The Olympics And For Talks With Chinese President Xi

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where Putin presented Xi with a degree from St. Petersburg State University, on June 6, 2019. Dmitri Lovetsky/Pool via Reuters  

Washington Post: As Putin heads to Beijing, Russia and China’s stronger ties are a headache for the U.S. 

As Western governments scramble to predict Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions toward Ukraine, one of the countries with the clearest view may be China: Putin is expected to visit Beijing for Friday’s Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies and for talks with his Chinese counterpart. 

Putin’s trip casts a spotlight on the China-Russia bond, which has deepened considerably in recent years, echoing their close relationship at the dawn of the Cold War. Both Beijing and Moscow see the partnership as key to countering a world dominated by the United States, as they share resources and technology and divide the attention of Western governments. 

“These two simultaneous challenges are much bigger than if the U.S. has to deal only with the China challenge or the Russia challenge,” said Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center. “Joe Biden’s team is only human: They have 24 hours [in a day].”  

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WNU Editor: The current China - Russia alliance is one of convenience. China needs resources, and Russia needs money to develop and expand its economy. Developing a China-Russia national security and political alliance is a different story, and not currently in the cards for both countries.