The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)’s summit in Astana was significant. It was a continuation of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s diplomatic excursions amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Putin enjoyed a sideline bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in which they jointly praised the Sino-Russian partnership and promised greater collaboration.
But there should be no confusion. Russia is increasingly a junior partner, and the Astana Summit which concluded last Thursday, speaks to China’s gradual overtaking of Russia in the SCO region. The summit in Astana has…
