China and Russia pose an array of overlapping yet differentiated set of challenges to world peace. What are China’s interests and perspectives on matters of statecraft and warfare? What are Russia’s interests and perspectives? What are the challenges each great power poses and how do they manifest? Where do their interests align and where do they diverge? This project explores Chinese and Russian interests and perspectives on topics including diplomacy, crisis management, deterrence, as well as war and peace.
Publications
China and Ukraine: Pulling Its Weight with Russia or Potemkin Peacemaker?
In November 2024, China’s ambassador, Ma Shengkun, presented his credentials at Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry. While a diplomatic reshuffle was due, the timing of the turnover and the selection of Ma, in tandem with other recent developments, suggest that China discerns a gradual gathering of momentum for a peace process or truce talks.
North Korean Troops in Russia Show Putin Is Doubling Down on Ukraine War
After signing a mutual defense pledge in June, 2024, North Korea and Russia relations appear to be deepening. USIP’s Mary Glantz, Frank Aum, Carla Freeman and Naiyu Kuo explain what this demonstrates about Russia’s strategy in Ukraine, what it means for dynamics on the Korean Peninsula and how China perceives this development.
China, Russia See SCO at Counterweight to NATO but India Is Ambivalent
USIP’s Carla Freeman, Mary Glantz and Daniel Markey look at the takeaways from the 2024 Shanghai Cooperation Organization's summit for China, Russia and India.
Ukraine: The Inflection Point in the China-Russia Axis
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has catalyzed a profound shift in global power dynamics: the deepening of the partnership between China and Russia. The Institute for Security and Development Policy's Niklas Swanström and USIP's Andrew Scobell look at why this relationship, while rooted in history, represents a significant departure from previous patterns of cooperation.