China Pushes Into Russia’s Backyard

Xi’s visit to the SCO, with a stop in Kazakhstan, signals a desire to increase Chinese influence

That China’s President Xi Jinping is making Kazakhstan his first visit to a foreign country since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic must be food for thought in Moscow. Xi was on his way to Uzbekistan for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and there will most likely meet President Vladimir Putin and be seen to strengthen China’s tie…