Relations between China and Russia Following the Outbreak of the Ukraine War in 2022

The onset of the Ukraine war on February 24, 2022, has had significant implications for various actors, including the People's Republic of China. China and Russia are considered two major global powers, and the effects stemming from their bilateral relations and interactions extend far beyond the borders of the two countries, influencing global developments and equations. The Ukraine crisis has led to a noteworthy shift in global power dynamics and has notably strengthened cooperation between China and Russia. This relationship has evolved into a durable strategic partnership, although it has yet to develop into a complete military alliance. Nevertheless, the Ukraine war has elevated Moscow and Beijing's relationship to that of strategic cooperation. Today, China and Russia are regarded as strategic partners, with their relations and collaborations spanning various fields. The Ukraine conflict has also presented new opportunities for Chinese investment in Russia, particularly in the energy and infrastructure sectors. The main question of the article is what factors have caused China and Russia to grow closer to each other, especially after the Ukraine crisis in 2022? In response to the above question, applying Strategic Relation as the conceptual framework, this hypothesis is presented that factors such as complementary economies, geopolitical complementarity, the idea of multipolarity of world order, the shared perception of Washington's threats, personal relationships and ideological similarities between Russia and China and opposition to U.S. unilateralism have led to a significant strengtheningof relations between Beijing and Moscow, despite some existing differences.