China and Russia have made little attempt to hide their geopolitical ambitions. Militarily, each has asserted a right to terrain not recognized as theirs. Economically, the two have designs on gaining a greater foothold in the world marketplace, Western roadblocks be damned.
And while an unprecedented pact not to deploy network hackers against each other may prove largely symbolic, it's yet another glaring sign of the two countries' shared desire to shake up a world order largely dominated by the U.S. since the end of World War II. "This agreement is not about Russia's and China's love for each other – it's about how they dislike the U.S.," says James Lewis, a cybersecurity researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
It was during a visit to Moscow this month by Chinese President Xi Jinping – punctuated by a military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat in the Second World War – that Russia and China took their partnership to the next level. Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed dozens of bilateral agreements, including one outlining their shared agenda for the Internet.
And while an unprecedented pact not to deploy network hackers against each other may prove largely symbolic, it's yet another glaring sign of the two countries' shared desire to shake up a world order largely dominated by the U.S. since the end of World War II. "This agreement is not about Russia's and China's love for each other – it's about how they dislike the U.S.," says James Lewis, a cybersecurity researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
It was during a visit to Moscow this month by Chinese President Xi Jinping – punctuated by a military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat in the Second World War – that Russia and China took their partnership to the next level. Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed dozens of bilateral agreements, including one outlining their shared agenda for the Internet.
