
Inside the China-Russia Partnership
From Pekingology by Center for Strategic and International Studies
June 11, 2026 · 42 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the evolving strategic partnership between China and Russia, focusing on their leaders' personal ties and implications for global politics.
China and Russia have transformed a historically fraught relationship into one of the most consequential strategic partnerships in the world. This week on Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Alexander Gabuev, a leading expert on China-Russia ties and director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. They examine how Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have deepened their bilateral and personal ties, what China gains from supporting Russia's war in Ukraine, and where the limits of their “no-limits” partnership may lie. The conversation explores energy, sanctions, leverage, people-to-people ties, and the role of the Xi-Putin relationship in shaping the future of international order.
People in this episode
Host: Henrietta Levin
Guest: Alexander Gabuev
Topics covered
- China-Russia relations
- strategic partnerships
- international order
- energy
- sanctions
- bilateral ties
Keywords
- China
- Russia
- Xi Jinping
- Vladimir Putin
- strategic partnership
- war in Ukraine
- energy
- sanctions
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
Places: China, Russia
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