The Arms Trade in Russsian-Chinese Relations: Identity, Domestic Politics, and Geopolitical Positioning

The writers discuss the Treaty on Good Neighborly Friendship and Cooperation signed by the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China in Moscow on July 16, 2001. They offer proof that this alliance embodies a relationship that is based primarily on sales of arms from Russia to China and explore why one powerful country would sacrifice its long-term relative position vis-a-vis a potentially threatening neighbor in order to make smaller, short-term gains. They highlight three variables as most important to understanding the arms sales element of this treaty: declining relative position reveals the structural factors behind Russia's actions; domestic policy explains its willingness to make what seemed to be rash sacrifices; and identity issues indicate the core motivations and interests of each actor.