Russia's President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with his China's counterpart Xi Jinping (RIA Novosti/Mikhail Klimentiev)
No, Russia and China Aren’t Teaming Up Against America -- Kyle Mizokami, War Is Boring
The odd couple of totalitarian regimes is less powerful than you think.
In mid-November, Russian defense minister Sergey Shoigu flew to Beijing for high-level military talks. Shoigu was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Li Keqiang and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan to discuss “current issues of international and regional security and bilateral military and military-technical cooperation,” according to the Russian Tass news agency.
The prospect of a Russian-Chinese axis might sound scary to Westerners. But it’s not, really. Russia and China are both weaker than they appear. And they have as many reasons to compete as they do to cooperate.
And even if they do get along, the combined military power of Russia and China combined is only slightly more formidable than either country going to war separately.
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My Comment: In my opinion .... there is zero chance of a Russian - Chinese military alliance. Both countries may be in the process of expanding and modernizing their military .... but their national defense policies are focused more on their own regional/border problems and issues rather than on the West. If there will be an alliance against the West .... it will primarily on political and economic issues .... specifically on diminishing the role that Western financial institutions (WTO, IMF, World Bank, etc.) have on influencing broader global economic policies that may at times come in conflict with what China and Russia may want.
I will have to disagree, though it may seem as if China / Russia have different perspectives and are more focused on regional issues, by 2025 we will start to see a Russian / China military alliance. Why? Because neither of them can ever hope to match the U.S through NATO alone. Eventually Russia/China's mutual interests will grow and a need to confront NATO in their spheres of influence. I predict in the next 10 years we will start to see regional conflicts but also an increase in ties between the two giants - and probably steps taken to create a military alliance. It is in China/Russia's interest to kick the U.S out of Asia/pacific respectively and use their influence to hinder America in places like the middle east / africa. See Europe is pushing Russia towards Asia, and America is trying to contain China's rise through improved relations with pacific nations. Eventually there will be a conflict were both nations will have to side together if they ever hope to match America/NATO.
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