Beijing fears Russia will become ‘little power’ under ‘crazy’ Putin – Financial Times

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The Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing anonymous Chinese officials and regional experts, that Beijing plans to reorient its foreign policy away from Moscow, fearing a decline in Russia’s economic and political influence as a direct result of its disastrous invasion of Ukraine and eventual downfall of Putin.

Despite Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping vowing to boost bilateral ties during a video conference in late December, sources told the Financial Times that mistrust toward the Russian leader is growing among the Chinese Communist Party’s top echelons.

The decision to invade was made by a very small group of people. “China should not simply follow Russia,” the Financial Times quoted an anonymous Chinese official as saying. “Putin is crazy.”

China, according to the outlet’s sources, and contrary to the widely accepted version of events, was unaware of the Kremlin’s plan to launch a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine last year and expected at most a limited military operation.

During a meeting on February 4, Putin reportedly told Xi that Russia “will not rule out taking any possible measures if East Ukrainian separatists attack Russian territory and cause humanitarian disasters.”

According to the Financial Times, Beijing’s failure to obtain accurate intelligence on Putin’s plans left it unprepared for an invasion and led to a demotion of then Chinese vice foreign minister and top Russia expert Lu Yucheng.

Anonymous Chinese officials told the outlet that they believe the Kremlin’s goals in Ukraine are doomed and that Russia will emerge from the conflict as a “secondary power.”

However, Beijing still has a lot to gain from its relationship with the Kremlin in the short term, seeing its closeness to Putin as a useful bargaining chip in its relationship with Europe, FT sources report.

Officials said China also hopes to benefit from the post-war reconstruction boom in Ukraine.

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