China moves to fill the void left by Russian sanctions – on its own terms

China moves to fill the void left by Russian sanctions – on its own terms: Six months into the Ukraine war and against a backdrop of diplomatic posturing and international sanctions, China has not hesitated to fill the void left by OECD disengagement with Russia – but is taking care not to compromise its own economic interests in the process. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, China has been careful to officially maintain its “pro-Russian neutrality.” Nevertheless, Beijing’s propaganda machine is hard at work amplifying Russian narratives in line with its recent “friendship without limits.” Beijing has refused to impose any sanctions on Moscow and, following an initial adjustment period marked by economic disengagement, has not restrained from deepening economic ties with Russia. At the same time, China is aiming to minimize its exposure to OECD sanctions and is demanding high export prices of its northern neighbor, especially for products of strategic importance such as semiconductors. Chines...