China’s Ukraine Response Is All About the US (Not Russia)

Beijing increasingly faces hard choices and high stakes as Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine is mired in miscalculations. Xi Jinping raised the stakes of China’s strategic cooperation with Russia with the characterization of relations with “no limits” at their February 4 meeting. China’s partnership with Russia, short of a formal alliance, serves Beijing’s long-term strategic priorities. China’s refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, confirmation of bilateral relations as “rock-solid,” and criticism of the West’s sanctions on Russia exert Beijing’s dominant leadership position in China-Russia relations. Moreover, China’s superior stature in bilateral relations reinforces the Chinese Communist Party’s political authority and legitimacy in domestic politics.

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