China's Growing Influence on Russia's Economy and Politics

Russia's economy, battered by Western sanctions since its invasion of Ukraine, is becoming increasingly dependent on China, with their two economies becoming more intertwined in trade and finance as Russia becomes further isolated. Experts predict that Russia may be on its way to becoming a vassal state of China, with imports and exports to and from China reaching 50%, making it so reliant on Chinese trade that its foreign interests would be dominated by those of China. However, some experts argue that Russia's growing trade partnership with China is more of a natural product of sanctions rather than a deliberate decision.