Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores and assesses the developments in Russia-China relations in the aftermath of the global economic crisis and interprets them with the help of a theoretical framework. The Russia-China relationship in the wake of the global economic crisis exemplifies such a socially negotiated power transition. The shift in the distribution of material capabilities between the two great powers started in the 2000s but it has only been in the early 2010s that people have seen Russia and China adapt to this shift. The book focuses on the domestic factors in Russia and China that have the potential to influence and shape the relationship. It explores selected elements of domestic politics and analyses dominant discourses in both states with reference to the other. Then, it also focuses on Central Asia and East Asia, that can be described as Russia's and China's wider neighbourhood.