ABSTRACT
Like Gorbachev before him, El’tsin placed too much emphasis on relations with Europe and the United States in the initial months, seeing in Japan solely the solution to the economic woes of the Russian Far East. Scepticism regarding the West’s readiness to assist Russia, and suspicion regarding its motives, was, in the Asia-Pacific, focused on Japan, which was perceived by Russia as part of the West economically and politically, if not geographically. China’s independent foreign policy and articulation of its national interests was therefore more to Russia’s liking.
