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Russia’s relationship with China: the role of domestic and ideational factors

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Abstract

Over the past few years, Russian–Chinese relations have grown steadily closer. This article examines the domestic and ideational motivations that underlie Russia’s interactions with China. It is argued that Russia’s behavior toward China demonstrates in particular the importance of ideas at the domestic level. Moscow’s increasingly close relationship with China serves to confirm Russia’s perceived status as a great power, which functions as a fundamental tool of regime legitimacy. In addition, Russia and China have grown closer on national identity issues that are constituted in opposition to political and ideological principles endorsed by the West as universal values.

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  1. Wheaton College Massachusetts, 26 E. Main Street, Norton, MA, 02766, USA

    Jeanne L. Wilson

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Correspondence to Jeanne L. Wilson.

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Wilson, J.L. Russia’s relationship with China: the role of domestic and ideational factors. Int Polit 56, 778–794 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41311-018-0167-8

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