VLAD, THE COMFORT WOMAN:

Russian President Vladimir Putin has just concluded a visit to Beijing, where, after announcing a few big-sounding energy deals, he said that Russia and China were "friends forever." These days everyone wants a good relationship with China, but Mr. Putin does so from a disadvantageous position. Russia is one of the few countries in the world with few friends besides China. (North Korea and Pakistan are other examples-anyone else?) I've argued before that when China is your only friend it's hard to have a mutually respectful relationship. Most matters will be resolved on Chinese terms, and Beijing can drive a hard bargain because you've got nowhere else to go. A plugged-in Chinese scholar once told me how his country's intelligence officials viewed Russia: "We think Putin has misjudged his power position in the world."

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