This is the Popular Front podcast with me Jake Hanrahan.

We're focused on the niche details of modern warfare and underreported conflict

all across the world. Popular Front is

completely independent. In this episode we're speaking to journalist Lucretia

Golden. She focuses on China, she's lived there, she speaks the language fluently.

She's going to be talking to us about how China has taken advantage of Russia's recklessness since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As you'll

here China is not quite the best mate of Russia that many make out. In fact it seems

like China actually benefits from prolonging Russia's ongoing wars.

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The first thing I kind of want to get into is how I think there's a bit of a

misconception at the minute regarding China, Russia and Iran. So there's kind of this discourse, especially within your kind of war-hawk scenes, where they act as if China is kind of going to back up Russia and Iran no matter what they're the new axis that's going to you know

Face the Western world, but from speaking to I understand that's really not quite as it is right and China are specifically not as gung-ho

to get involved in conflicts as I think people might expect maybe you can just kind of explain

that what is their position within this perceived new axis with Russia and Iran?

Yeah, there's a bit of a misconception with regards to the relationship between China and Russia.

And it all comes down to defining

whether it's a partnership or an alliance, right?

So a lot of people describe it as an alliance,

but I think partnership is the more correct term to

describe their relationship because if you actually look into what China has done to help Russia after

the invasion of Ukraine is more taught than, you know, facts.

And there is no doubt that China is the one that had the most gain from this particular conflict and it sort of tried to maintain the balance telling Russia that yeah they're friends they have been long-standing friends but that's about it you

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