Macroscope | The economics underpinning the growing Russian-Chinese influence
- As Russia pivots to Asia economically and strategically, its cooperation with China could counter US alliances from West to East
- Under Western sanctions, Russia has tightened fiscal policies, boosted trade with China and become stronger. The US might end up with two formidable foes
In economic as well as geostrategic terms, Russia’s relations with China have been growing stronger in recent times, to the point where solidarity between Moscow and Beijing could counter US alliances with Europe, Japan, Australia and India.
As Hung Tran, non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council in Washington, observes, “If Russia and China increase policy coordination and support each other economically, they will strengthen their strategic positions, presenting a formidable challenge to the West.”
China, Tran suggests, is logically the most important country with which Russia can deepen its strategic alliance for mutual support and assistance: “Both are opponents of the US in the escalating geopolitical struggle and both have been put under US sanctions for various reasons.”