On February 4, Xi Jinping welcomed Russia’s President Vladimir Putin for the first in-person summit since COVID. Despite the pandemic, the relationship has improved – trade has surpassed $140 billion, both sides are joined in their opposition to U.S.-led security alliances, be it NATO in Europe or AUKUS in Asia. Both Moscow and Beijing are also pushing back against the Western monopoly on democracy. How strong and durable is the Sino-Russian partnership, especially now given the ongoing Ukraine conflict?
About the speaker: Alexander Gabuev is a senior fellow and the chair of the Russia in the Asia-Pacific Program at the Carnegie Moscow Center. His research is focused on Russia’s policy toward East and Southeast Asia, political and ideological trends in China, and China’s relations with its neighbors—especially those in Central Asia. Prior to joining Carnegie, Gabuev served as deputy editor in chief of Kommersant-Vlast, one of Russia’s most influential newsweeklies. His reporting covered Russia’s relations with Asian powers and the connection between Russian business interests and foreign policy.