You might want to elaborate on your logic here because I don't see it and I doubt I'm alone. The message could be interpreted in any number of ways, but by far the most natural is that China supports Putin's leadership of Russia and will stand beside him if the West tries any regime change shenanigans.Xi stating to Putin that Russian people will elected him in 2024 was him saying that China will not overthrow him and he has Beijing's blessing to introduce whatever measures he considers necessary to stay in power. Why would he say something like that? There's only one explanation that has historical precedent.
We just witnessed a de facto act of homage of Putin's Russia to China. It was done with all necessary pretense and courtesy for practical reasons but that's what it was.
As of today Russia is a vassal state of China.
Put it in your diaries. It's a historical date.
21st of March 2022 Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin who styled himself the heir of Peter the Great who was the founder of Russian Empire gave homage as a vassal of a foreign power.
For those who choose to reject reality - can you tell me at which moment the UK became a vassal to the US? Because if you can't then don't dispute what I just told you. It happened. Deal with it. I'm dealing with my head still spinning. But I don't question historical precedent.
Your writing is often very insightful, but in this case I think your antipathy toward Russia is leading you toward strained interpretations and seeing things that aren't there.
Do you mean SCO? China is not a member of CSTO (a collection of former Soviet states) and to my knowledge does not attend their summits. The most harsh interpretation of Xi's message during the SCO was that China would look very differently on any hypothetical Russian invasion of Central Asian states. Since such is not in the cards - despite what some crazed Russian hypernationalists spout (probably Western agents provocateurs) - the natural reading was that it was a bland statement to reassure skittish Central Asian states.
Once again, I think your animus is leading you astray. China has no need or desire to "vassalize" Russia, Russia plays its part in the Grand Strategy(tm) without any prompting. It's a natural; all China needs to do is continue expanding trade and investment and make sure Russia has the resources it needs to wage its war.
China has taken an overwhelming Ukrainian victory off the table in the same way (although through very different means) NATO has taken an overwhelming Russian victory off the table. Whatever happens next in the war is of secondary concern to China, its primary concern is that Putin's political standing in Russia isn't severely damaged and it's already excluded that outcome.
