The recent Russia-China summit held in Moscow marked another milestone in the strategic alliance between the two global powers. As the world grapples with the ongoing pandemic and geopolitical tensions continue to shape the international arena, the close partnership between Russia and China offers a unique perspective on the shifting dynamics of power. Together, Russia and China are challenging the existing world order and asserting their dominance over a wide range of domains. In this article, we examine the key takeaways from the recent summit and explore how Russia and China’s ‘no-limits’ relationship reveals who currently dominates this important partnership.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have declared a “new era” in their partnership following a summit between the two nations this week. Though the Kremlin has celebrated Xi’s visit by stating it disproves Western claims that Russia is an international pariah, the meeting has also underscored Russia’s growing reliance on its Asian neighbour, which is in part due to the sanctions imposed by the EU and US following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. China has taken advantage of Russia’s penalty hit economy by buying up discounted energy and selling a range of goods that are no longer available from Western markets. The visit saw Putin listing sectors he would welcome Chinese involvement in, covering Russia’s economy from agriculture and infrastructure to automotive and artificial intelligence. However, there was no news regarding the new Russian gas pipeline it is keen for China to build, named the Power of Siberia 2 project. Putin said that he and Xi had “reached agreement on most of the deal’s parameters”, but Russia needs the pipeline more urgently than China, which is not forecast to require any additional gas supplies until at least 2030. If a deal is reached, it will be on Beijing’s terms. Putin also called for the yuan to be used in Russian deals throughout the Asian, African and Latin American states, putting forward the currency for the kind of international role that he sought for the rouble. Putin’s acceptance of Russia’s role as a junior partner to China in its alliance against the West also underscores how the power balance has shifted sharply in Beijing’s favour, particularly with Putin’s isolation surrounding the arrest warrant issued to him this month by the International Criminal Court.
