Russia and China: Partnership Expands

Abstract

The article highlights contemporary Russian-Chinese relations in key areas before and after the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Moscow on March 20–22, 2023. The main attention is focused on the analysis of Russian-Chinese global geopolitical and international-regional approaches, including the specifics of the Middle East policy, “yuan diplomacy”, the Taiwan issue, etc. The main attention is paid to the study of the process of evolution of Chinese policy towards Russia in the context of the Special Military Operation (SVO) and the strengthening of the American “double deterrence” against the Russian Federation and China, including the significance and nature of the Moscow summit of the two leaders and bilateral documents signed because of it. The economic and investment projects of Russia and China, the reasons for their lagging behind the high political level, the possibilities, and prospects for the rapid and effective launch of the Russian-Chinese trade and economic “roadmap” of cooperation have been studied. Particular attention is paid to the possibility/impossibility of turning Russia into a “junior partner” of China, the limits of the political rapprochement of the two countries in the “allies-partners” format, as well as cooperation in space and strategic interaction.