---
title: "The Price of Isolation: How China Turned Russia into a Junior Partner"
description: "Russia has become a junior partner to China, losing influence in Central Asia and selling resources at a discount. Experts note a rise in espionage and economic dependence, which led to a decline in trade volumes in 2025. 📉🇨🇳🇷🇺"
date: 2026-07-14T13:28:37.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/price-of-isolation-how-china-turned-russia-into-junior-partner
tags: [putin, xi-jinping, china, russia, gas-prom]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# The Price of Isolation: How China Turned Russia into a Junior Partner

With the severance of ties with the Western world, the geopolitical landscape around Moscow has changed radically. Instead of the equal strategic partnership long touted by the Kremlin, Russia has found itself in the role of a junior partner to Beijing. The Wall Street Journal, citing officials and analysts, describes how China is systematically expanding its influence, securing favorable outcomes while carefully concealing its dominance.

### Quiet Expansion and Covert Espionage

Beijing is cultivating relationships not only with Vladimir Putin and his inner circle but also with representatives of the Russian elite capable of shaping the country's future even after a potential change in power. Russia is witnessing a rise in cases of Chinese espionage and the recruitment of mid-level officials. However, Moscow prefers not to publicize these incidents, fearing that open discussion could lead to a deterioration of relations with its only major ally.

Analysts note that China has already secured significant concessions but avoids flaunting its advantage to avoid humiliating Moscow and the Russian leader personally. A striking example of this tactic is the situation in Central Asia. Traditionally considering this region its sphere of influence, the Kremlin long resisted the strengthening of Beijing's positions. However, under the pressure of international isolation, Russia is forced to retreat.

### Economic Asymmetry

One of the key achievements of Chinese diplomacy has been persuading Russia to agree to the use of the yuan as the primary currency in the Bank of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). This decision is intended to finance projects in Central Asia, effectively cementing China's financial influence in the region. At the same time, other international structures influenced by Beijing, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank of BRICS, have not provided Russia with opportunities to circumvent Western sanctions.

Moscow's economic dependence on Beijing reached critical levels after the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine. Russia supplies China primarily with oil, gas, and other natural resources, often at significant discounts. If in 2013 China accounted for about 10% of Russia's foreign trade turnover, today this figure has grown approximately fourfold. In contrast, Russia's share in China's foreign trade remains less than 4%.

### The Deal of the Century Foiled: Gazprom and Power of Siberia-2

One of the most telling examples of inequality in relations was the situation surrounding the Power of Siberia-2 pipeline. During the visit of the Russian delegation to China in 2025, the head of Gazprom, Alexey Miller, announced the signing of a legally binding memorandum. However, Beijing officially did not confirm this information. During subsequent negotiations, the Chinese side made it clear that they would agree to the project only on the condition of gas supply at a price close to the domestic Russian market.

Experts believe that China is interested in maintaining Russia's dependence, squeezing out the most favorable conditions. Statistics confirm this trend: the volume of mutual trade in 2025 fell for the first time since the start of the war by 6.5%, to 1.63 trillion yuan ($234 billion). Both Chinese goods exports to Russia (a decrease of 3.4%) and Russian exports to China (a drop of 9.9%) ended in the negative.