XI WHO?:

The quasi-alliance between China and Russia has rightly been gathering much attention as the backdrop to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But scant attention has been paid internationally to another important strategic shift - that of the move of South Korea's new president to strengthen cooperation with Washington and perhaps to join the Quad, currently composed of the United States, India, Japan, and Australia in facing up to China's goals of hegemony in the western Pacific region.

Whilst not directly related to the Russia-China entente, the Korean move underlines the indirect consequences beginning to flow from China's moves to confront the US and its allies. [...]

The invasion has probably benefited Taiwan, not the mainland, in three ways. First, by drawing attention to some similarities between Russia's claim on Ukraine (all or part) and Beijing's on Taiwan. Second, by making supply of weapons to Taiwan less of an issue than in the past as others seek to counter China's relationship with Russia. Third, by the way that Ukrainian resistance to attack across a land border shows the even greater difficulty that China would face with a seaborne invasion. Missiles, unless nuclear-tipped, are not a substitute for boots on the ground and are willing to be killed for the fatherland.

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