Vladimir Putin's Deepening Rapprochement with China in the Tangled Russia-China-US Triangle

Abstract

Russia's foreign policy has been Western-oriented due to historical and cultural reasons. This paper argues that the US's attitude towards Russia and the increasing expansion of NATO to Eastern Europe leads Russians to feel insecure. Consequently, East Asia has become significant to Russia in coping with the West. Above all, China's rise is predominant in Russia's policy options. Nevertheless, Russia will finally encounter a dilemma that rapprochement with China may help improve China's relative position in world politics. In essence, Russia's anxieties toward China's rapid rise make Russia's rapprochement toward China skeptical and reserved. The new approach, taken by President Obama, shifting from unipolar into multipolar global politics, offers Putin a new arena to re-identify Russia itself in the Russia-China-US triangle. The US government's fierce criticism of the Russian government being undemocratic during the elections process, along with the Chinese government's full support of Putin will make the Russia-China-US triangle naturally tilted toward Russo-Chinese side during Putin's office of premiership or for a certain time if he is elected in the presidential election 2012.