As you probably know, Russia and China have had a bit of a rocky relationship over the years. There was once a time when both countries were engaged in an actual war with each other, though that was long ago (in the 1950s). Since then, the two countries have become fast friends and allies, so much so that some people have called it the world’s new superpower. But what has caused this change? And what do they now consider to be their relationship?
Early History:
For centuries, Russia and China have been neighbors, but their relationship has not always been a friendly one. In fact, for much of history, the two countries were at odds with each other, engaging in various border disputes. However, in recent years the relationship between Russia and China has shifted dramatically. Russia is now heavily reliant on China as an economic partner. In 2013, President Putin visited Beijing and signed agreements to build an oil pipeline worth 1 billion dollars which would bring Siberian crude to Chinese consumers. As well as this, Putin also signed deals to construct an additional pipeline worth 400 million dollars to transport natural gas from Western Siberia to North-Eastern China.
Formal Relationships Begin to Take Shape in the 1960s:
In the 1960s, Russia and China began to develop formal relationships with one another. The two countries had many similarities, such as being Communist states, which helped them bond. They also were able to help each other out economically; for example, China provided much-needed agricultural assistance to Russia. By the 1970s, however, things began to change. It became clear that Soviet leaders no longer trusted their Chinese counterparts because China refused to condemn the U.S.'s use of nuclear weapons in Japan during World War II, as well as its embrace of Western capitalism after Richard Nixon visited in 1972.
At this point, both sides began accusing one another of going against their principles by not following a similar ideology or by becoming too close to the West.
Stable Relations in the 2000s:
In the early 2000s, both Russia and China were going through periods of transition. For Russia, this meant recovering from the fall of the Soviet Union, while China was working on becoming a more open economy. Despite these changes, relations between the two countries remained stable, with both sides cooperating on economic and security issues. Putin visited Beijing in 2001 to discuss bilateral cooperation in developing natural resources, including oil and gas. Putin also met with Hu Jintao at the Boao Forum for Asia in 2004 to discuss potential cooperation in transportation infrastructure and trade. Cooperation continued into 2008 when Moscow and Beijing signed a joint declaration outlining their commitment to strengthening their strategic partnership. The U.S.' diplomatic isolation of Russia over its invasion of Georgia may have influenced the strengthening ties between Russia and China during this period.
In recent years, Russia and China have been strengthening their economic, political, and military ties. The two countries have been working together more closely on global issues, such as the Syrian conflict and North Korea's nuclear program. However, there are still some areas of disagreement between the two nations, such as Russia's annexation of Crimea and China's human rights record. Overall, the relationship between Russia and China is complex and ever-changing. They both cooperate in many ways but disagree in others. What will happen to this alliance in the future? It is hard to predict whether these two powers will remain allies or become rivals. While they currently cooperate, their different priorities could lead them to oppose one another in the future. If a country threatens either nation's interests, they would likely oppose one another. For example, if Japan tried to take over Taiwan by force, Russia and China would likely come into conflict with one another.
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