[Leftcoast]

I suspect China is in a holding pattern after the unexpected first act in Ukraine.  Russia still has much they want, oil, raw materials, wheat (anyone else heard the wheat harvest in China was very bad this year?), plus the joy of seeing the West discomfited.  

But now the costs are climbing and the story line no longer fits their favorite narrative of a fractured West in decline as the East/China inevitably rises (their viewpoint).

So we get a holding pattern that remains outwardly favoring Russia (China newspapers still blame NATO and downplay unfavorable outcomes/war crimes) but hasn’t committed itself. They are waiting for more information that will come as events unfold.

[Leftcoast]

I suspect China is in a holding pattern after the unexpected first act in Ukraine.  Russia still has much they want, oil, raw materials, wheat (anyone else heard the wheat harvest in China was very bad this year?), plus the joy of seeing the West discomfited.  

But now the costs are climbing and the story line no longer fits their favorite narrative of a fractured West in decline as the East/China inevitably rises (their viewpoint).

So we get a holding pattern that remains outwardly favoring Russia (China newspapers still blame NATO and downplay unfavorable outcomes/war crimes) but hasn’t committed itself. They are waiting for more information that will come as events unfold.