Can China and Russia be strategic partners?

China and Russia vow to further strengthen their ties, as both countries are engaged in standoffs with the U.S. China and Russia’s leaders say their countries are closer than they’ve ever been, and that’s partly due to what they see as a common threat. Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin’s meeting in St. Petersburg was a display of the strength of their relationship, and also a show of solidarity against the United States. Russia has been economically isolated for years due to Western sanctions over its invas