Explainer: Why Western policies cannot change the Russia-China relationship

James Nixey and Annette Bohr explain why the belief that the Western countries should normalize their relations with Russia in order to counter the rise of China is wrong. They discuss why it is impossible for the West to change the factors that bring Russia and China together, as well as those that cause tension in the bilateral relationship. A better policy would therefore involve counterbalancing the Moscow-Beijing relationship through working with other partners in the region.