Vladimir Putin’s visits China’s leader Xi shows where his priorities lie – but one is clearly stronger than the other

You’ve heard of the transatlantic ‘Special Relationship’. This is the “No Limits” partnership – a term coined when Vladimir Putin visited Beijing in February 2022. It was just days before he ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A lot’s changed for Russia since then, of course. It’s now an international pariah. One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is China’s support. Why? For one, Presidents Xi and Putin share a similar outlook. Both oppose external “interference” in domestic affairs, and long for a “multipolar” world. There are economic benefits for both, too. But this is not an equal partnership. The power…