The Roots of China-Russia Geopolitical and Ideological Partnership

This is a translation of the original 中俄背靠背的地緣戰略與意識形態 by Jou Yi-cheng (周奕成), an entrepreneur, a political worker and thinker, and a leader during the 1990 Wild Lily Movement. Originally published by Voice Tank. Translation by Chieh-Ting Yeh.

The future of international politics centers around the competition between democracies and non-democracies. Even though it’s not yet a full alliance, the partnership between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation is the key to the world’s geopolitical trends.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between China and Russia. Russian leader Vladimir Putin visited Beijing in May and met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues. The two signed the “Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the New Era Joint Declaration” between the two countries.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi also met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Wang claimed that China-Russia relations is not swayed by foreign disruption, and follows the natural rhythm of the development of the two countries’ interests.” The two also talked about collaboration within multilateral platforms such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to “jointly promote justice in global governance.”

Stuck in Ukraine

Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the war has become the longest and most complex international conflict in recent memory. Though Russia tried to end the war quickly, Ukraine’s resistance and the international community’s sharp reaction has led to the current predicament. As the war continues, Russia keeps massively spending its military and economic resources and faces domestic and international pressure.

With mounting casualties and lost of military hardware, Russia’s domestic economy has also suffered from financial, business and technological sanctions by the West. Russia’s global image has taken a large hit, becoming ever more isolated.

Under these pressures, Russia is desperately seeking outside support. As the second largest economy in the world, China has the economic and diplomatic strength to help Russia. China-Russia relations have quickly deepened in many sectors during this period.

China-Russia economic, military and financial cooperation

In 2023, China-Russia trade reached US$240 billion dollars. China became the biggest buyer of Russian energy, while exporting large amounts of technology and industrial goods. These actions helped alleviate the pressure of sanctions on Russia, and at the same time brought economic benefit to China.

Militarily the two states have also deepened cooperation. There have been many joint military exercises, including one in the Sea of Japan in July of 2023, with live rounds, anti-submarine and other naval warfare. More than 10 warships and 30 aircraft was involved.

According to the think tank CSIS, in 2022 and 2023 China and Russia have conducted at least five joint exercises in the Sea of Japan and the East Sea, focusing on defense against air, cruise missiles, submarines and naval attacks.

There have also been joint strategic cruising since 2019, with Chinese and Russian bombers traveling together in Japan and Korea’s Air Defense Identification Zones. The two militaries have increased their combined capabilities in real combat situations.

China and Russia have also increased technology transfers to Russia, and military leaders from both sides have met multiple times a year, as well as summits between the two leaders to boost both strategic and operational compatibility.

These actions also have significant political meaning. China and Russia are in the process of supporting each other against the common enemy of the US and its allies. Both leaders have said as much multiple times in public.

The strategic thinking

China and Russia heading down the road of a “shoulder to shoulder, back to back” partnership reflects the level of shared interests and thinking between the two. This partnership not only helps both countries with their domestic challenges, it also to a certain degree changes the global power balance.

China and Russia share the same attitude towards sovereignty, security, and national interests. In the face of pressure from the West, the two have found a partner that can provide crucial strategic support to each other.

The shift in the global power balance with China-Russia partnership is towards multi-polarism. Even though they claim it is for global peace and stability, it really is a way for them to increase their control over Northeast Asia and Central Asia.

Globally, the China-Russia partnership is seen as a challenge to the Western-led international order. China is pushing for a more multipolar world with this partnership. It claims to provide the international community with more choices, which also means a more uncertain and complex geopolitical situation in the 2020s.

The ideological basis of the China-Russia partnership

The partnership between China and Russia is not only a marriage of geopolitical strategy, it is also rooted deeply in history and ideology. The two leaders share many commonalities in their way of thinking and ruling styles, and that gives their partnership a crucial spiritual foundation.

Both leaders love to stress the “sovereignty” of their states, especially the importance of “territorial integrity.” Both employ an aggressive, brutish style of diplomacy. They both believe that a high level of centralized power is the key to realizing national goals. Xi does not give an inch on Taiwan, insisting on the “One China Principle”; Putin espouses “historical claims” on Ukraine and believes Russia must “retake” Ukraine.

Both leaders invoke some kind of nostalgia for the imperial past. They stress a “return” to some kind of historical glory and nationalistic revival. Xi promotes the “China Dream” of a restored Chinese nation, while Putin talks about the Russian Empire’s “rightful” place as a world power.

Most importantly, both are acolytes of authoritarianism. Xi pushed forward what he called an anti-corruption campaign and party reforms to consolidate the Chinese Communist Party’s grip on power. Putin has put Russia through a series of constitutional amendments to lengthen his rule, extend his control over the state machinery, and employed terror against his opponents.

As the China-Russia partnership rises, the US is entering a crucial presidential election. How to face this reality and China and Russia’s interference in the US election and democratic values in general, is a pressing challenge for our time.

(Featured photo by Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels)