No surprise. China is not Rusia's friend.
"Friend" is a broad term.
They are certainly not enemies.
Moscow and Beijing share a strategic objective: to reduce the geopolitical, economic, and military hegemony of the United States and to promote a multipolar international order.
Diplomatic alignment: They frequently coordinate their positions within international bodies, notably at the UN Security Council, within the BRICS group, and through the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Energy: Heavily sanctioned by Western nations, Russia has redirected its massive oil and gas exports toward the Chinese market (via infrastructure such as the "Power of Siberia" pipeline), making China its primary trading partner.
Technology and trade: China supplies the Russian economy with essential goods, technological equipment, and dual-use electronic components, which allow Moscow to circumvent a large portion of international sanctions.
• Russia’s growing dependence: Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the relationship has become increasingly asymmetrical. While Russia provides China with geopolitical weight and natural resources, it relies heavily on Beijing to sustain its economy and technological endeavors.
• Caution and friction points: Despite a public display of unity, a certain historical distrust persists. China is careful not to completely alienate its key Western markets and maintains its own ambitions in Central Asia, Siberia, and Africa—ambitions that may, at times, compete with those of Moscow.
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