Xi risks stumbling with Putin if he plays his cards wrong

 

Xi risks stumbling with Putin if he plays his cards wrong

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping needs Russian President Vladimir Putin to win in Ukraine. But his personal interests, as he seeks to extend his term as leader, are hampering China's diplomacy. That is becoming clearer as the war in Ukraine rages on.
 
Xi's nightmare scenario is for Putin to fail and people begin to think that an authoritarian leader in office for too long tends to make the wrong calls at crucial moments.
 
Even if Xi wins reelection later this year at the Chinese Communist Party's national congress, a Russian failure in Ukraine could all but ensure that he won't stay beyond the next national congress in 2027. In this case, Xi would immediately become a lame duck, and would be in a dangerous situation.
 
Therefore, Putin's survival is crucial for Xi. But not necessarily for China