Has China taken a close look at their potential so-called ally Russia?
Since 2014 Russia has been making a lot of headlines but not much else. The economy is a mess, as in stagnant and shrinking. Russia has fewer friends or allies and the future looks dim. Sending troops into Ukraine (2014), Syria (2015) and Libya (2016) has not helped solve any of the fundamental problems there but made for great propaganda. What went wrong? Russia entered the 21st century with a new elected government dominated by former secret police (KGB) officers who promised to restore economic and civil order. They did so but in the process turned Russia into a police state with less political and economic freedom.
Russia's foreign policy is a self-esteem project. What Russia needs is somebody inside Russia to tell Putin he is effing up royally.
There is no way China would ever stand up and fight for Russia if Russia gets itself into trouble. The best the Russians can hope for with their sucking up to China is that Russia would be last on the list for redressing historical grievances. The Chinese surely know how that kind of Hitler-Mussolini relationship would work out if China has to bail out Russia. Although China certainly would like Russia to step up if China gets into a fight.
