A Reversal of Status
75 Years of Russia-China Relations
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
China follows the logic of profit, Russia the logic of rent. The logic of profit demands competitiveness. This is achieved through innovation, a willingness to take risks, and investments that increase productivity. Apart from the defence and nuclear sectors, Russia’s industry is not competitive on the world market. The country resembles a raw material export economy, as the dependency theory diagnosed for Third World countries in the 1970s. Russia’s war against Ukraine acts as an accelerant for the development of a new global constellation. At the centre of this constellation is the hegemonic conflict between the old power, the United States, and the new power, China. They are the leading powers of a liberal and an authoritarian camp. In this respect, the Ukraine war, like the Korean War, is a proxy war between East and West, except that China and Russia have swapped roles. Russia has found itself in indirect opposition to the United States, because the latter is Ukraine’s biggest supporter. At the same time, Russia has become completely dependent on China.
(Osteuropa 4/2024, pp. 159–172)