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Exactly — the Muscowites still dream of empire.

I can see Xi Jinping waiting for Russia to collapse - the Chinese have long memories and remember how

1. The Xiongnu confederation to the north of China threatened the Han dynasty but collapsed after some decades and China prevailed

2. The Uyghurs threatened Tang China, then collapsed

3. The Jurchen Jin threatened China, then collapsed

4. The Mongols threatened China, then collapsed

5. The Jurchen Manchu threatened China, then collapsed.

The Chinese KNOW that these steppe confederations collapse and China prevails (that’s what they think) - they are just waiting for the latest steppe confederation - Muscowy - to collapse.

Remember that Russia is the last country that “humiliated China during the century of humiliation”, and STILL keeps what they see as “Chinese” territory around Vladivostok.