China and Russia remain competitors rather than true partners

The rising tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine provide a constant reminder of the Cold War, when the two superpowers fought proxy conflicts for spheres of influence. A key question in the current game of great power politics is whether China and Russia will form an alliance against the United States?

Despite the positive trends in China-Russia relations, the bilateral relationship still lacks a solid foundation of mutual trust and common identity, Huiyun Feng argues in an article published in The Diplomat.

Economic ties are a key factor in the Sino-Russian relationship, but even the strongest ties are problematic in nature. Furthermore, while neither Chinese President Xi Jinping nor Russian President Vladimir Putin like the Western world order led by America, they do not share a common vision of a so-called new world order.

Only a strong common threat from the West could push China and Russia to move closer economically and militarily. To avoid this, the United States needs to consider how to re-set its relationships with the two countries.