In a recent interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Russian President Putin hinted that China is a bigger threat to the West than Russia, revealing his views on the China-Russia relationship. Political analyst Chen Pokong sees the relationship as mutual exploitation, with potential abandonment as an option. This was made clear in the interview, where Putin emphasized China’s tenfold population advantage over Russia and economic dominance.
Putin expressed that Russia sought to join the West after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, only to be rejected. He noted that Russia and China, as neighbors, cannot choose their relationship. This is in contrast to growing tensions with the West, as demonstrated in Putin’s response to Carlson’s query about post-Cold War international order. He acknowledged that Russia lacks the same level of concern for a powerful China as the West does. In light of China and Russia deepening their relations in recent years, Putin’s statements emphasize the mutual undercurrents beneath their diplomatic face.
Chen further opined that Xi Jinping supports Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, but with no prospect of victory, Xi is eager to ease relations between China and the United States. Putin’s statement in the interview was seen as his means of conveying messages to Trump and the United States, given the possibility of Trump returning to office in 2024. With both China and Russia aligning their goals to counter the West, the China-Russia relationship appears to be based on mutual interests and vulnerabilities.
Chen foresees that Sino-Russian relations will maintain a superficial cooperation. However, the likelihood of an improving relationship between either country and the West may result in increased tension between China and Russia as they each vie for their own interests. The overall trend, he predicts, will see a gradual evolving of their dynamic, although open and hidden rivalries will continue for some time.