How long until China looks at all the Russian Land as easy to take?

@RedGrizzly Exactly. Since the economy went global the aims of warfare have changed. It is now cheaper and easier to occupy a nations business interests and dominate their economy as part of the world trading network than it is to disrupt business by pounding the people into the ground and occupying them.😷

@RedGrizzly The French, under Napoleon Bonaparte, had tried invading Russia as well, also failed.

The climate is a major factor but so is the sheer size of the country. The further from home you fight, the wider your front, the longer your supply-lines and the easier it is for the victims to attack your flanks.

For Germany in WW2 though, its turning against Russia gave itself enemies on two major fronts in geographically opposite directions against a single bloc of allies for the time being.

While both countries were Communist, China and Russia had a very uneasy relationship indeed, and their Amur River border was one of the most heavily watched and guarded in the world. It is still heavily military but the two countries are now on much better terms despite the fall of Communism in Russia.

Their trade with each other has even extended to China building at least one new railway across Mongolia to join the Trans-Siberian Railway*, presumably part of its "Belt Road" initiative whose actions include buying the Greek port of Piraeus, and building facilities in developing countries who can never repay the Chinese "loans" involved.

China is unlikely to even think of trying to take over Russia. She would know she would fail. Her first aim is to take Taiwan, then to become the world's most powerful country. She does not need invade Russia for that, but instead to trade with it - principally buying Russian gas, petroleum and ores. Whilst also supporting a general anti-"West" programme based on commercial advantage, the Internet and naked interference.

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*Trans-Siberian Railway: This is a very busy line, and until the invasion of Ukraine, carrying a lot of goods between Asia and Europe.

Recently China apparently published a glossy video promoting a "new", non-stop (?) goods-trains only service, all the way from China to Spain. The video ignored the matter of the break-of-gauge between Russian and European railways, and its map showed the line going not South-West to Spain but turning North to terminate in Belgium. Very odd. Perhaps the video was not real even by Chinese propaganda standards, but an elaborate hoax by Persons Unknown.

@Tastyfrzz I think China would have the greater chance of continuity despite both countries' economic and demographic problems. Although its Presidents are there for life or until they step down (or are deposed?) they and the central government are basically caretakers for the time being of a system designed for far longevity.

What happens to Russia after President Putin is anyone's guess, and I doubt even the most knowlegeable diplomats and analysts can guess it very accurately. His going could well leave a dangerous power vacuum that bodies like the Wagner Group would exploit. (It is still very active, under a different name which I forget, especially in Africa.)

The more difficult country to assess on this basis is North Korea. Kim Il Jong is thought to be grooming his daughter, now in her early teens, as a possible inheritor of this dynastic dictatorship whose own "ism" term is "Kimilism".

@ididntknow American Empire?

Where's that?

@newjaninev2 All over the world, over 800 military bases around the world,

@ididntknow Accepting an citation and being welcome is not building an empire.

Invading the sovereign democracy of Ukraine murdering its men, women, children, and babies - that's empire-building.

@whowasthatmaskedman China is already doing that in many countries. It won’t be surprise if they have secret deal.

@Nick1 They are already well dug in to America. First in the ownership of property, and business. Butmore importantly, poised to disrupt supply line in large domestic suppliers like the car and electronic industry, by having monopolized niche segments of the supply chain. It only takes a couple of calls to halt production of American made cars and commerical aircraft..😷

@MarmeeMarch The Mongols ruled all of russia (and more) for over 300 years.