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  • In August 2015, China and Russia conducted joint military training exercises in a display

  • of power and alliance. Just half a century ago, the two nations were at odds and nearing

  • nuclear war. But today, China and Russia work together in groups like BRICS and the Shanghai

  • Cooperation Organization. So, why do Russia and China love each other?

  • Well, in the early 20th century, Russia and China were both in the middle of Communist

  • revolutions. National leaders Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong even created similar cults

  • of personality surrounding their leadership. However, when Stalin died in 1953, his successor

  • denounced his repressive regime and created a rift between China and the USSR. In 1961,

  • because of the USSR’s divergent ideology, Mao’s regime called the new Soviet government

  • revisionist traitors.” At a peak of Cold War tension, the two almost went to war over

  • territorial conflicts. But when the Cold War ended in the 90s, so did a de facto alliance

  • between the US and China against Soviet Russia. Diplomatic tensions thawed. As the two countries

  • expanded economically, they found it mutually beneficial to pursue a “constructive partnership.”

  • The success of this new alliance led to the 2001 treaty offriendship and cooperation

  • ensuring mutual MILITARY cooperation.

  • The alliance between these world superpowers has served to make both countries more powerful.

  • Russia is the largest country with the 2nd strongest military in the world. They have

  • more nuclear weapons than even the United States. Meanwhile, China has one of the largest

  • economies, and is the most populous nation. As of 2014, after the US, China and Russia

  • spend the most on their militaries.

  • Their alliance has flourished especially since 2014, when the US and Europe imposed economic

  • sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine. Russians have been able to support their economy

  • with increased business ties to China. And China has benefitted from increased pre-eminence

  • in the Eurasia region - slowly rising up to counterbalance Western dominance.

  • However, today, experts claim the countries remain suspicious of one another. Russia,

  • in the midst of an economic recession, wants a higher price for their oil than China’s

  • willing to pay. And China is wary of Russia’s military and energy links to India and Vietnam,

  • both of which are China’s rivals. Also, in the wake of Russia’s annexation of Crimea,

  • China is concerned about potential border conflicts with their northern neighbor. All

  • in all, they have quite a few minor but potentially serious conflicts, which undermine complete

  • trust in one another.

  • America and Europe are watching Russia and China’s diplomatic friendship carefully.

  • Western leaders have already stepped up efforts topivot to Asia,” and address future

  • competition from the East. Although the US and the European Union still lead the world

  • in nominal GDP figures, the combined military and economic might of China and Russia cannot

  • be ignored. Their cooperation through billion-dollar energy deals, trade, and military training

  • drills has the world wondering what the future holds for the Sino-Russian alliance.

  • Russia isn’t China’s only close ally in the region. China also supports North Korea.

  • To find out why, watch this video. Thanks for watching TestTube News! Don’t forget

  • to like and subscribe for new videos from us.

In August 2015, China and Russia conducted joint military training exercises in a display

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