Are Russia And China The Best Of Friends Now?

Holly Ellyatt, CNBC: Are Russia and China the best of friends now? It’s complicated, analysts say.

* Russia and China appear to be increasing their economic, political and military ties amid poor relations with the West. But the relationship is far more nuanced, experts note.
* While U.S. trade relations with China have soured, as each slap billions of dollars’ worth of tariffs on each other’s goods, trade relations between China and Russia are blossoming.
* Chinese President Xi Jinping even called Russian President Vladimir Putin his “best friend” in an uncharacteristic display of warm relations during a state visit to Russia this summer.

Russia and China appear to be increasing their economic, political and military ties amid poor relations with the West. But the relationship is far more nuanced than it first appears with strengths and weaknesses on both sides, experts note.

While U.S. trade relations with China have soured, as each slap billions of dollars’ worth of tariffs on each other’s goods, trade relations between China and Russia are blossoming. Chinese President Xi Jinping even called Russian President Vladimir Putin his “best friend” in an uncharacteristic display of warm relations during a state visit to Russia this summer.

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WNU Editor: While there is a good personal relationship between Putin and Xi, but China and Russia are not the best of friends. For Russians, the Chinese are just another market for its energy products and military hardware. For the Chinese, Russia is a stable source for energy coupled with a ridiculous hope that this may happen one day .... Why China will “reclaim” Siberia (China Daily Mail).