Opportunities and Challenges of China’s Economic and Political Development Under the Third Terms of Xi Leadership: A “No Limits” Partnership Between China and Russia?

With the Russia-Ukraine War continuing indefinitely, the relationship between China and Russia has changed from the close ties observed during the initial stages of the fight under Xi’s third term as leader. In 2023, Qin Gang, who was China’s ambassador to the US at the time, emphasized that the China-Russia cooperation is boundless but does have certain limits. This statement contrasts with the more assertive position taken by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi shortly after the war started in March 2022, when he described the relationship as “rock-solid” during the annual sessions of the National People’s Congress. In May 2023, China officially announced the postponement of the “Power of Siberia 2” pipeline project. Will the conflict between Russia and Ukraine result in tighter ties between China and Russia, or will it create a greater distance between them? Alternatively, will their relationship remain unchanged? Are there any constraints on the China-Russia strategic partnership? Will the level of asymmetry in the ties between Moscow and Beijing increase or decrease in the future? China’s relationship with Russia has seen minor adjustments since the start of Xi’s third term. This study aims to investigate the underlying causes of these developments and assess the prospects and challenges of the political and economic connections between China and Russia during Xi’s third term.