Topic: Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping: an increasingly unequal relationship (Read 161 times)

Yep! It's all about money. Watch the big guys kill each other off over it. Everybody knows you can trust Putin, But does Putin know that he can trust Xi? Lol.

Xi and conscience don’t belong together. We are talking about an oppressive dictator who’s human rights violations are a million miles long.  He’s also the biggest reason N Korea is able to continue the most oppressive rule on the planet. If you are supporting one of the most oppressive dictators in human history, knowing full well in doing so means the torture of countless human lives, you’ve got no conscience. It’s all about money and playing whatever side means more money and power for himself.

^^^ But this is how it has been forever... common interests.

The big money people of every country get together, not because they like each other, but because they are big money working together for common goals... more big money.

It's often the little people who get hurt in the process, because they really like each other, but don't have enough money for big, common, goals.

As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. This is China's position, I think. China shares its common enmity with Russia against the United States, so they can form an alliance at the moment, but interests may change at any time, so Russia cannot trust this alliance in the long run. China may change its attitude towards Russia if it is to be isolated by the global attitude towards the Russian war on Ukraine. Or if it can pressure the United States to change its attitude toward Taiwan.
In politics there are no lasting relationships but common interests.

Xi Jinping doesn't have to agree with the description of Biden, they are both powerful men and are matured enough to formulate their own opinions of other leadrs.
The existing relationship was strained more when the US defied China's warning about visiting Taiwan, US didn't handle it diplomatically but went ahead to visit with a full military backup. US could have handled things better knowing that their existing relationship was hanging on a thread.


This feels more like politics and business, and since it seems currently that their interest are alike as they both seem to have a problem with the west, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" just like the saying.

putin sees that when he sided with "asia" he could get more advantages than siding with "west" .. even though the relationship seems unequal at the moment,, but putin believes that in the future russia will benefit more from this relationship ... and it seems that russia has started to open up opportunities to share their nuclear and space technology with developing countries in asia such as indonesia, and several other countries, which will make russia-asia relations even closer

Well, just like I stated earlier, there are no pals in business. To me it will be safe to leave their relationship at world leaders level and Xi looks to me like a slow, cunning person. Some would say the reason he is looking to not be in support of Putin's invasion to Ukraine is his conscience is setting in but I doubt else he won't be looking to do same with Taiwan.
 The Chinese sure has a motive for slowly drawing back support for Putin and you clearly have a point @BADecker
 

Xi is simply waiting for Russia to finish business in the Ukraine. Once that's done, then they will have time to figure out how to make a profit for the Ukrainian people by helping them trade with China.

I'm not clear on what China's immediate goal here is. Their economy isn't doing great so it's within China's interest to form some workable relationship with Putin for the sake economic benefit. That's not to say that the CCP is cozy with the Kremlin. The relationship is symbiotic and once either side no longer seems utility in one another, the relationship ceases.

If Xi Jinping beings to question your war strategies, then you're in a bad place and Putin's economy hangs in the balance.

Perhaps the Chinese president has learnt a valuable history lesson (the people who win a war are the ones who stay out of it).

Also Russia and the US have been doing proxy wars in the middle East for some time now, the difference here is Russia somehow decided to put the war on its own border and give itself more consequences than it probably wanted to.

These two countries are known communists, and only commie comrades will understand each other—at least to a certain point. China will always have the upper hand in this type of relationship as Russia will rely on China's hands to sell its products to the east, and China doesn't have to do anything but just allow the trade routes and be that supportive best friend on the sidelines without actively helping them. Also, China knows what Russia is capable of, and China serves as the 'big brother' that Russia has to keep its power and its interests in check. Anyways, their relationship appears to be more diplomatic and to be more 'sincere' compared to those relationships the West has forged over the years, and that says something about Russia and China's diplomatic ties.

In my opinion, the two countries have a common interest in maintaining the balance of power in Asia, which means balancing Russia against China. For Russia, this is an area where they can benefit from Chinese involvement and capital without being dragged into an anti-Western bloc. For China, this is a way to counter Western influence in the region without trapping itself into an unnecessary alliance with Russia. It's also very good for Russia's short-term interests.

In terms of foreign policy, these two leaders have shown themselves to be more open to new ideas than the West in general, and that must mean something. Therefore, the United States can take lessons from Russia and China regarding its relationship with North Korea; although both countries feel uncomfortable about Kim Jong Un, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China still recognize that he is acting on behalf of his country, and are taking steps towards more constructive engagement with him because of this.

 Russia literally seem to be at a loss for what to do and at present any help they can get would be much welcomed by Putin. Since severing ties with the West, he has turned to the East.
With his callous attitude towards Ukraine, Biden regarded him as a "murderous dictator" but he doesn't seem fazed by this because Xi Jinping sees him instead as a "dear friend".

 But with this endearment being passed around, one would be tempted to think the two are bff's but not so as there's rarely such in politics. At present, China tend to hold more power over Russia as they rank 2nd in the ten most powerful countries in the world

Power is not just a title, when relating it to a country, it actually defines how much strength it has militarily, economically and culturally and China is an embodiment of those.

Putin, in a meeting with Xi who is sitted far right at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held in Samarkand believes he can also garner support from the other four Asian states present: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan but Xi shares concern as these four are not willing to pitch in as they too frown at his act towards Ukraine.
 Another thing to worry about Putin's action is it has spoiled the already fragile relationship China had with the US; what with them setting their sights on Taiwan and the issue of Human rights.

 Even if Xi is not an ally in Putin's attack of Ukraine, he has pledged to be with Russia as he believes the two can play " a leading role in injecting stability into a world of change and disorder". Since in business there are no friends, would Xi follow through with his actions or is he planning a fatal blow in the form of renegading on Putin? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62922747