Editor's note: Danil Bochkov is an expert with the Russian International Affairs Council. He graduated cum laude with a master's degree in economics from MGIMO-University under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and a master's degree in world economy from the University of International Business and Economics in China. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Same day China-U.S. Alaska talks commenced, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was reported to be heading to China for a two-day visit starting March 22. A lot of speculation was made concerning the coincidence of the Lavrov-Wang meeting with the introduction of a new pack of U.S.-EU sanctions against both states as well as Beijing and Washington delegations exchanging barbs and losing common ground during their first face-to-face meeting under Biden's administration in Anchorage.

Although the specific timing of the talk was denied by Beijing, Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed a great variety of issues, ranging from their countries' relations with the West as well as areas for deepening strategic cooperation and mutual trust. One of the major outcomes of the meeting was mutual decision of both sides to automatic prolongation of Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship inked in 2001, which serves as a foundation of the strategic partnership. Wang noted that the treaty is set to give a new impulse to bilateral relations.

There is great potential for deeper engagement between Moscow and Beijing, since Biden has been promoting reestablishment of democratic alliances aimed at "dominance by holding back development of other countries" – as Lavrov framed it. Biden seems very adroit at constructing opposition front. He was quick at setting up the first ever summit of quadrilateral security group states leaders. China came under criticism for its regional policies, which were called to be violating international order in the Indo-Pacific.

Russia has also been in the spotlight of the U.S. attention with introduction on March 2 of U.S.-EU coordinated sanctions over Navalny's case. On March 15, the U.S. in a clear sign of graving bilateral relations made one more step forward to extend those restrictions. Later on, President Biden demonstrated his steadfast approach on blaming Russia for its foreign policy actions by calling Vladimir Putin "a killer." Similarly, China was sanctioned by the U.S. on March 17 with 25 officials falling under American restrictions. On March 22, the U.S. coalesced the EU, UK and Canada to prod Beijing with a new pack of sanctions over human rights issues.

In 2018, U.S. National Defense Review for the first time prioritized competition with China and Russia over international terrorism, both of which were elevated by the new Biden's administration to the cohort of top U.S. rivals and adversaries. They were later branded as malign and hazardous for the U.S. domestic security. U.S. marines chief defined China as "the pacing threat for the next decade," while Russia got described by the U.S. head of Northern Command as the most "acute challenge to homeland defense mission." Prioritizing both states as top U.S. security challenges shows that Washington attributes long-term significance to the military rivalry with Moscow and Beijing.

Recognizing adversarial actions of the U.S. and its allies, Russia and China seek comprehensive intensification of bilateral relations, stretching them to all the domains of mutual interest. During the talks, Lavrov stressed the importance of decreasing Western sanction pressure by moving away from dollar and promoting alternative to Western payment systems – a policy that has proved efficacious in recent times. In 2015, U.S. dollar accounted for 90 percent in Russia-China trade, but in 2020 its share plummeted to record low of 46 percent, giving a rise to RMB, which constituted 17 percent, thus bringing 25 percent of national currencies exchanges to bilateral trade.

Moscow and Beijing agreed to defend UN-based international order while prioritizing their bilateral relations as a "stabilizing factor," as Wang put it, adding that Russia-China ties can "withstand any tests on the international arena … due to mutual respect of key interests." Lavrov's saying that the U.S. tends to substitute international law with their own rules echoed Yang Jiechi's comments during Alaska summit, criticizing Washington for the attempts to promote rules-based international order advocated by a small number of countries as opposed to United Nations-centered international system.

Another shared position expressed by both ministers in different occasions was the opposition to "zero-sum geopolitical games" stressed by Lavrov during the meeting with Wang and expressed earlier by Wang, formulated as "we need to abandon Cold War mentality and the zero-sum game approach." Such correlation of positions expressed at the high levels in various occasions speaks of close coordination of Moscow and Beijing in aligning their approaches to global issues as well as deepest understanding of each other values and concerns.

China and Russia has demonstrated special nature of their relations during the talks, which according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry had a great significance for the solution of regional and global issues. As Lavrov mentioned Russia-China cooperation during the pandemic is an "example to follow" for bilateral ties. That has practical implication with China remaining Russia's biggest trade partner, despite COVID-19 economic difficulties. Russia also tripled gas supplies to China via Power of Siberia in February as compared to last year. Although Lavrov-Wang summit did not bring any sensation, it reassured the world that Russia-China friendship remains strong and is set to flourish.

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