RUSSIAN FEDERATION, THE JUNIOR COMPANION
What is going on in Ukraine makes Putin look weak. And it makes Xi also look weak by association .
It’s not hard to suppose Putin’s public admission of Xi’s worries was engineered to be in each leaders’ interest , with Russia actively playing the junior companion in the relationship plus risking even more global approbation.
The particular message was designed for an international audience : it was not included in Chinese state media. It allows Tiongkok to showcase the international standing, to show the world Xi may speak bluntly in order to Putin who will “explain in detail our position” in response.
Although China is snapping upward Russian oil and gas on highly discounted prices, Beijing has not lent assistance in ways that could bring about sanctions. Being seen to publicly “criticise” Russia could provide China more barrier to indirectly assistance Russia – like recent agreements to purchase natural gas supplies in roubles and yuan.
This, consequently, allows Russia to preserve a crucial economic lifeline while it spends large numbers a day on the invasion. China has purchased a total of US$43. 68 billion in oil, gas, coal and electricity imports from Russia so far this year, with a report US$8. 3 billion dollars in August.
How all this plays out should be closely followed until Xi and Putin meet once again at the G20 summit in Bali in Nov.
Adam Carouso is a Mature Fellow and Seat of the Australia Advisory Board at the Middle for Strategic and International Studies, Wa DC, and a previous Acting US Ambassador to Australia.