The Xi-Putin partnership is not a marriage of convenience

In March last year China's leader, Xi Jinping, paused at the door of the Kremlin. Before bidding farewell to Vladimir Putin, he offered him a final thought. Using the phrase bainian bianju, shorthand for what China views as a historic change in the world order, Mr Xi said: "Let us promote it together.” Now the two leaders are meeting for the 43rd time—Mr Putin arrived in Beijing on May 16th as the war rages in Ukraine. Russia has become an ever more important partner in China's push against American might. Economic ties have been growing stronger and there are signs…