In a bid to show the West that the ties with China could offer a viable alternative, Russian President Vladimir Putin had visited Beijing earlier. (Source: AP File Photo)
With President Vladimir Putin heading to China this weekend, officials in both countries extol a blossoming “strategic partnership” between the two former communist rivals.
But despite Moscow’s push to strengthen ties with Beijing amid a bitter strain in relations with the West, Russia-China trade has shrunk sharply and a slew of ambitious projects have remained largely on paper. Observers attribute the slow progress to Beijing’s hard-nosed bargaining position and the Kremlin’s deep-seated suspicions …read more
Source: The Indian Express
