... major projects and investments in Ukraine. When Moscow and Kyiv are locked in a state of large-scale military conflict, it is difficult for Beijing to balance between the two countries.
On the one hand, the new US and European large-scale economic sanctions imposed on Russia after the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine conflict have opened more opportunities for developing China–Russia economic cooperation. On the other hand, they have created severe restrictions and risks for Beijing. Given American and European anti-Russian sanctions, Beijing-Moscow cooperation may result in secondary sanctions against Chinese financial ...
... there should be no doubt, that Beijing has been deeply involved and consulted in Moscow’s planning of the “special military operation” in Ukraine. This level of coordination gives Kremlin the justified confidence that “the World is big” and no sanctions can tip Russia. We already see the contours of the West deeply humiliated and Russia succeeding with it objectives in Ukraine. Like Russia in Europe, China has during the past decades built up the necessary power to act in East Asia, and the decision to resolve the Taiwan issue in a very foreseeable future is undoubtedly already made in Beijing. That will deal the final devastating blow to the fiction ...
... future Sino-Russian cooperation has
run rampant
. Much of this has to do with the current crisis over Ukraine, with commentaries warning that Chinese backing could embolden Russia into military action by shielding it from the consequences of Western sanctions, thus
removing
a powerful deterrent. Others have warned against a further spillover, arguing that a U.S.-Russian confrontation over Ukraine might even
encourage
China to pursue military reunification with Taiwan. Such extreme scenarios are unlikely to materialize, but the fact that they are being raised at all makes it necessary to analyze the interests, shared visions, but also limitations behind the emerging ...
