How Vladimir Putin’s embrace of China weakens Russia
He needs Xi Jinping more than Mr Xi needs him—and Central Asia is changing as a result
THE PALACE OF OFFICERS in Dushanbe, the capital of the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan, acts among other things as a hotel for visiting dignitaries. It is marked out by tinted windows, purple neon and an excellent Chinese restaurant. The last is not all that surprising. The distinctly swanky edifice was built and presented to the Tajik ministry of defence by the People’s Republic of China.
This article appeared in the Briefing section of the print edition under the headline “The junior partner”
From the July 27th 2019 edition
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Any Chinese curbs on Taiwan’s trade would carry big economic costs
But China could calibrate a trade “quarantine” to limit unintended consequences
Can China sap a divided and isolated Taiwan of its will to resist?
Taiwanese are growing more doubtful that they can fend off their hostile neighbour
Chinese military exercises foreshadow a blockade of Taiwan
The Trump administration’s fickleness is adding to the island’s anxieties
Emigration from Africa will change the world
As other countries age, they will need African youth
Why can’t stinking rich Ivies cope with losing a few hundred million?
Their huge endowments are not easy to cash in
Donald Trump is battling America’s elite universities—and winning
The Ivy League sees little point in fighting the federal government in court