On March 12, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke with American bloggers Mario Nawfal, Larry C. Johnson and Andrew Napolitano in Moscow.
When asked whether the U.S. administration’s efforts to normalize relations with Moscow are just to use Russia "cynically against the Chinese," Lavrov rejected such possibility.
He described Russia-China relations as long-term, stronger and more confidential, based in deep trust and mutual understanding, and he emphasized widespread public support in both countries.
That is misleading.
The claim overlooks the underlying complexities and skepticism in the Russia-China relationship.
Despite the appearance of a strong partnership, ongoing tensions underlie the relationship. This includes skepticism on both sides, especially about economic stability, military strength and the extent of mutual trust.
China has become a dominant economic partner for Russia, but many Russians are concerned about China's increasing influence and the lack of substantial Chinese investment in Russia.
Unlike the strong military alignment seen in the Sino-Soviet alliance of 1950, today's cooperation is not as deeply integrated, particularly in military terms. China has not provided direct military aid to Russia in the Ukraine conflict, which would have been expected in a deeply allied relationship.
There is skepticism about the partnership in both Russia and China. Russian citizens are not entirely supportive of Chinese products or investments, and many Chinese question the long-term economic and military viability of Russia.
This period marked a high point of cooperation, with the Soviet Union providing substantial economic, technological and military support to China. Yet, the alliance ended with the Sino-Soviet . This contradicts Lavrov's characterization that current relations are unprecedented in their depth.
The strategic partnership strengthened after the Cold War, especially under Vladimir Putin and Jiang Zemin. However, China still balanced its relations with the West, highlighting that the , not based purely on mutual trust.
The relations have become closer since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the Ukraine invasion. China has been providing crucial economic support. Beijing, however, avoids direct military aid to evade Western sanctions and maintains neutrality. This signals that the , not genuine trust or an alliance akin to that of the 1950s.
Moscow is now heavily dependent on Beijing: China has become Russia’s largest trading partner, and Russia plays a key role in supplying China with oil and gas.
The economic relationship has its imbalances, however. China's total investments in Russia remain relatively low compared with its global investments.
, while Russia has become increasingly dependent on Beijing.
, Russia’s leading business daily, in Russia, noting that while Russia seeks high-tech investments, China prioritizes mining, real estate, and banking.
Since 2023, , whereas Russia ranks only sixth among China’s top trade partners.
Russians question Chinese investment and the long-term benefits, while many Chinese doubt Russia’s economic resilience and military strength.
In February 2025, FilterLabs released the results of research that used its Talisman data tool to analyze Chinese and Russian news and social media.
Talisman’s analysis reveals deep skepticism about Russia among Chinese social media users, many of whom question whether Russia’s economy is truly as resilient as Moscow claims, whether its military strength matches its rhetoric, and what its long-term intentions are. These doubts suggest that despite official narratives of strong ties, public confidence in Russia within China is far from unanimous.
The research also shows that online sentiments in Russia toward economic cooperation with China .
International sanctions have pushed many Western products out of Russia, allowing Chinese goods to fill the gap in sectors such as automobiles and technology. While their market share grows due to affordability and geopolitical shifts, , FilterLabs reported.
In both countries, social media discussions are consistently less positive than mainstream press coverage, which itself was not uniformly supportive, revealing underlying skepticism about the partnership.
"," FilterLabs founder Jonathan Teubner told VOA.