Russia and China join forces to respond to sanctions imposed by the West

In a new challenge to the international system led by the West, China and Russia announced their intention to coordinate a joint response to the sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies, amid growing global tensions over the war in Ukraine and trade disputes between Washington and Beijing.

The announcement came during the visit to China by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who met with President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang. In a joint statement published by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both governments committed to "actively oppose unilateral coercive measures," referring to the international sanctions imposed on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine and on Chinese companies accused of collaborating with the Kremlin.

The statement accused certain countries, without directly mentioning the United States, of "abusing their dominant position in the global economy" and stated that any sanction not approved by the UN Security Council is "illegal."

The statement ignores, however, that both China and Russia are permanent members of that council with veto power, which in practice prevents the body from adopting binding sanctions against them.

The joint initiative has been interpreted as a political maneuver to protect Moscow from international isolation and to offer Beijing a tool of pressure against Washington. Nevertheless, the economic reality shows cracks: bilateral trade has fallen in recent months, and Chinese companies have begun to reduce their exposure to Russia for fear of secondary sanctions.

Mishustin's trip sought precisely to strengthen a relationship that has cooled after the peaks of energy cooperation reached in 2023 and 2024. According to some media outlets, several Chinese state oil companies suspended purchases of Russian crude oil transported by sea after the United States sanctioned Rosneft and Lukoil, the two main Russian producers. The measure reveals Beijing's dilemma: maintaining its strategic alliance with Russia without compromising its access to Western markets.

During the meeting, Xi insisted that "developing and consolidating relations between China and Russia is a strategic choice for both sides." The leader described the relationship as stable and "high-quality," despite the "turbulent global environment."

However, international critics argue that this discourse conceals Moscow's growing dependence on Beijing, which has become its main commercial and financial partner after the collapse of Russian exports to Europe.

The "no limits" alliance signed by Xi and Putin in 2022, just days before the escalation of the war in Ukraine, remains a source of concern for the West. Since then, China has provided indirect diplomatic and economic support to Russia, helping it partially circumvent sanctions through the use of the yuan in international transactions and the purchase of energy at reduced prices.

The United States and the European Union have repeatedly warned that technological and financial cooperation with Russia could result in sanctions for Chinese companies. U.S. President Donald Trump, in his attempt to force a ceasefire in Ukraine, has increased pressure on the Kremlin and on companies that maintain ties with it.

The Sino-Russian statement also criticized "certain countries" for attempting to maintain their "monopoly" in the global economy, in a clear allusion to the United States. However, far from defending an equitable economic system, China and Russia seek to redefine international rules to their own advantage, undermining the multilateral framework that has governed since World War II.