Dream Partner China?
China in Russia’s Energy Policy
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Russia seeks rapprochement with China. The project is primarily of a political nature and is supposed to demonstrate to the West that Russia is not dependent on it. At the heart of the new partnership is energy-sector cooperation. Moscow is euphoric about a gas supply contract concluded in 2014. But reality looks different. The project is expensive, and the deliveries to China can at best supplement those to Europe not replace them. Above all, however, Moscow has placed itself in a one-sided dependency on China. Today, the Russian Federation needs the People’s Republic politically and economically much more than China needs Russia. The dream of a new Eurasian partnership is not very realistic. If it is ever fulfilled, then it will be a nightmare for Moscow.
(Osteuropa 5-6/2015, pp. 85–97)