Lavrov in Beijing

Russia and China: A one-sided relationship

Good humor between colleagues Lavrov and Wang Yi(Bild: Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service)

"Together against the West!" This was the message that Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's two-day visit to China was intended to send. China can undoubtedly benefit from the current geopolitical situation. However, Russia expected more from the "borderless friendship".

Lavrov has been a guest in Beijing since Monday. The list of topics for discussion included the situation in the Asia-Pacific region and cooperation between the two countries in international organizations such as the UN, BRICS and G20, as Moscow announced before the start of the trip. They also discussed preparations for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's visit to China, which is expected to take place in mid-May.

Making China his first destination after his re-election in mid-March would be a clear sign from Putin of the close partnership between the two countries. Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine and the subsequent Western sanctions have noticeably isolated the country internationally. "From Russia's point of view, they want to show that they have a strong ally in Beijing. China may want to show that it has not yet given up its efforts as a 'neutral conflict resolver'. So the visit may also serve to gain an audience at home and to present itself as a force for peace," says Johann Fuhrmann from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Beijing.

Conflicts between the West on the one hand and China and Russia on the other have been intensifying for years. Among other things, the USA accuses China of unfair trade practices and has imposed high tariffs on imports and restricted exports of high technology to the People's Republic. Europe is also examining sanctions against Chinese e-car imports due to state subsidies. China and the USA are competing for spheres of influence in the Pacific. According to media reports, the USA therefore wants to expand the AUKUS military alliance with Australia and the UK. Russia, on the other hand, accuses the NATO military alliance of shifting its sphere of influence further east, justifying the attack on Ukraine, among other things.

Autocratic leaders: China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin(Bild: AFP)

After the last visit by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in November 2022, China made it very clear "that it rejects the use of nuclear weapons", says Fuhrmann. If Russia were to attack NATO, it is inconceivable that China would stick with Putin. "China has also repeatedly affirmed that it does not want to supply weapons. Putin may have hoped for more from the 'boundless friendship' that was assured before the war," explains the expert. Conversely, an unstable or Western-oriented Russia in a post-Putin era would be "a geopolitical horror scenario for Beijing".

Nevertheless, Beijing can deal with the current situation pragmatically. It obtains cheap energy from Russia and has also gained the country as an export market.