Putin’s “Turn to the East” in the Xi Jinping Era

Book excerpt: Rozman, Christoffersen, and a team of expert contributors analyze the evolution of Vladimir Putin’s reorientation to Asia since 2012. When Putin announced a “Turn to the East” in Russian foreign policy upon his return to the presidency, this was to be strategic reorientation emphasizing multilateralism. As the years have passed, however, this has turned into a tight reliance on the bilateral relationship with China. Rozman, Christoffersen, and their team explore how the “Turn” proceeded and developed over the course of a decade, ending by examining the impact of the Ukraine war on Sino-Russian relations. Their analysis focuses on Russia’s perspective, taking into account an extensive range of Russian publications to look at how priorities shifted. While affirming the continued strengthening of ties between Beijing and Moscow, they identify many tensions between them, noting especially Russia’s illusions about the relationship. A comprehensive review of Russian policy toward the Indo-Pacific, which is essential reading for courses on Russian foreign policy and international relations in East Asia.