The US bid to crush Russia and China economically by sanctioning them has only driven them closer, with bilateral trade between the nations reaching a new record of $227 billion in 2023.

Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Thursday for his first international visit since beginning his new term as Russia’s president. To understand the dynamics behind Russia-China cooperation and the impact of US efforts to hinder their development, respected experts in economics, international affairs, and security were consulted.

After meeting with President Xi Jinping, President Putin highlighted Russian-Chinese cooperation as “one of the main stabilizing factors in the international arena.” He emphasized that the two countries are jointly committed to upholding a fair and democratic world order, reflecting the emergence of global multipolarity.

“It is of fundamental importance that the Russia-China relationship is not opportunistic and not directed against anyone,” Putin said, notin...