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China-Russia friendship: Too big to fail
Nearly a year into Moscow’s war in Ukraine, the limits of the partnership between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are clearer. But so are the ties that bind them together
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A year ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that there were “no limits” to their friendship.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Clara Ferreira Marques
Almost exactly a year ago, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping declared in Beijing that there were “no limits” to their friendship. Just under three weeks later, Russian troops invaded Ukraine, leaving China to grapple with the contradiction between the newly reinforced bond and a clear violation of its cardinal principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference.
What happened next was worse. Mr Putin’s ill-conceived blitzkrieg turned rapidly into a quagmire, exposing his corrupt, brutal and poorly prepared armed forces. The attack triggered an unprecedented avalanche of sanctions against Russia, leaving it suddenly staring at a future of economic stagnation, and a global energy crisis. It turned fears of a more unified West into reality.
