Source: http://http://www.fnotw.org/Article/Full/4802 This analysis will give a different perspective on partnerships Russia - Central , as well as the nature of this relationship. Russia is now very happy and welcomed China to become a strategic partner , but this really is not an accurate description , because the fact that China has always Russia is considered only a small partnership. China's power is beyond Russia since China can be regarded as a superpower only less American. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of China was more than 3 times Russia (nearly 7,500 billion compared with U.S. $ 2,000 billion), while, the annual defense budget is 3 times the Russian's , and China's might be even better . The paper analyzes , the Russian economy is that the country's key strength. Russia also began to consider the possibility of restoring the position of a military power in the Soviet Union . But due to limited economic potential, Russian investors could not generate massive development such as the U.S. and China . According to the momentum of rapid development of economy, China strengthen large investment for defense . With a budget of over $ 150 billion , which is about the size and quantity of military equipment Russia, China has doubled the quality and equipped them in the form of modernization .Moscow now can not sustain investment scale defense and military as Beijing. Currently, China is deliberately replacing Russia's dominant position on the economy of Central Asia , while Russia also cherished its ambitions to regain political dominance status in the Mediterranean region . China and Russia began a fierce competition in terms of economic , political , military and diplomatic aspects rather than a close alliance as many myths . Objectively, Russia has the advantage over China in political influence and diplomacy , the military. However, the strength of Russia 's invisible by the elements of the soft power that few people may realize. Yet, the strength of China is clearly seen as hard power. Therefore, with China, Russia is considered as a " small partnership " rather than a strategic partner .
