In the early days of the Covid pandemic, pro-Kremlin commentators praised China’s successful Zero-Covid policy as proof of the superiority of authoritarian regimes in protecting their citizens. China’s recent difficulties with this policy as exemplified by the harsh lockdowns and the mass protests that they have sparked, has not produced a reassessment of the original viewpoint. The earlier triumphalism had vanished, once Russia itself experienced difficulties in coping with the pandemic.
Now everything is subordinated to the war in Ukraine, and the recent events in China Kommersant foreign affairs commentator Maxim Yusin do not bode well for Russia. Tensions between the United States and Russia have been closely followed in Russia. The hope being that a further escalation of these tensions and particularly surrounding Taiwan would both solidify the Sino-Russian alliance or at the least compel the US to cut back on its support for Ukraine. Yusin believes that the Chinese regime’s domestic difficulties as evidenced by the massive anti-regime demonstrations will compel Beijing to dial down tensions with the US to concentrate on problems at home. It may seek to placate the US by reducing support for Russia. Now that the Kuomintang Party that like Beijing supports a One-China policy has won a convincing victory in the local elections, there is no need for China to force the Taiwan issue.