The Chinese President congratulated his counterpart on his re-election yesterday, saying it ‘fully reflects the support of the Russian people’, despite it coming amid a brutal suppression of dissent. Western governments condemned the result as unfair and undemocratic, while friends of the Russian President who head up autocratic and undemocratic states, including China, welcomed his victory. As China vowed to continue to ‘move forward’ relations with Russia, sources claimed that Putin will visit the country in May – in what is set to be his 20th trip there since he took power. Is the West worried about the strong Russia-China ties ?
