Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Thursday morning for a two-day visit, deepening the relationship between the two major geopolitical rivals of the Western world. The visit signifies the increasingly stark divide between democratic and authoritarian camps.
In February 2022, during Putin’s visit to Beijing, China and Russia announced the establishment of an “unlimited” partnership. Shortly after, Russia launched a war against Ukraine, triggering the most intense land war in Europe since World War II.
After being sworn in for his fifth 6-year presidential term, Putin decided to make Beijing his first overseas visit. In an interview with Chinese state media, Putin once again praised the “strategic partnership” between China and Russia.
“It is our unprecedented high-level strategic partnership that determined my choice to visit China (the Communist Party) as the first country after formally assuming the presidency of the Russian Federation,” Putin said.
The United States views China as its biggest competitor and sees Russia as its biggest threat to national security. Many Western political leaders, including US President Biden, believe that this century will be defined by the competition between democracy and authoritarianism.
As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to be a protracted conflict, Russia’s conflict with the West is deepening. Under Western sanctions, Russia has reduced its access to the international trading system, increasingly relying on China in economic and diplomatic matters. Meanwhile, China is leveraging Russia to jointly oppose US-led international rules and global consensus.
Prior to Putin’s arrival, US Secretary of State Blinken visited Beijing last month partly to warn Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi not to deepen military support for Russia and to indicate US readiness to impose sanctions on Chinese companies providing tools and supplies to the Russian defense industry.
Western countries have stated that China played a crucial role in helping Russia withstand sanctions and provided key technologies for Russia’s use on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Alexander Gabuev, Director of the Carnegie Russia-Eurasia Center, told The Guardian that facing joint Western sanctions, China is the primary supporter of Russia’s economy and war machine.
“Except for China, (Russia) has no other choice. Only China can introduce these technologies, from washing machines, cars to military-grade chips. Only China can provide financial systems and currency, and only China has the market for all these goods,” he said.
Recently, the US has increased secondary sanctions on Chinese companies, hoping to further cut off China’s support for Russia. In response to US warnings in recent months, Chinese banks have started tightening scrutiny on trade with Russia, and China’s exports to Russia have gradually decreased. Compared to the same period last year, Chinese exports to Russia decreased by 15.7% in March and 13.5% in April.
Former advisor to the Russian Central Bank, Alexandra Prokopenko, analyzed in the Financial Times that Putin’s visit to China is likely to discuss how to evade US and Western sanctions with Chinese officials. He believes that Putin may aim to expedite Russia’s de-dollarization efforts, swiftly shifting dependence from the US dollar and euro to the Chinese yuan.
During this visit, Putin will also tour Harbin in northeastern China, a city with historical ties to Russia. According to Chinese media reports, a shopping center specializing in Russian-made goods opened on Thursday.
Military relations between China and Russia are also strengthening. In recent years, the two countries have held a series of joint military exercises, including naval drills and patrols of long-range bombers in the Sea of Japan and East China Sea. Ground forces from China and Russia have also deployed to each other’s territories for joint training.