Chinese Domestic Debates on Sino-Russian Relations Following the War in Ukraine

Drawing extensively on primary data from a variety of Chinese sources—official, media, think tanks and academic publications, this project examines debates on Sino-Russian relations in light of the war in Ukraine. By employing content analysis, this study explores how these debates shift over time and what types of reasoning are employed by different actors. In contrast to overly simplified depictions that view Chinese debates as existing in a monolithic “vacuum,” this research aims to identify and classify subjective assessments of China’s relationship to Russia. Doing so, it divides viewpoints into three main “bulks,” namely those who argue in favor of closer rapprochement, those who argue in favor of the status quo, and those who are in favor of loosening the relationship.