As U.S. relations with Russia continue to deteriorate, Russia has turned to China in search of a regional ally that can counterbalance the U.S.-led NATO bloc. Now, Ted Galen Carpenter explains how China has two foreign policy objectives at risk due to the increased tensions.

How have different foreign policy approaches changed U.S. relations with Russia and China? As Zheng Yu explains, these differing policies and perspectives have become clearer as a result of the Ukraine Crisis and U.S.-led sanctions against Russia.

This year’s “Joint Sea-2014” maritime exercise between China and Russia was noticeable in several respects. First, the drill coincided with a state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to China. Second, it came at a time when other signs of deepening Sino-Russian cooperation were evident. Third, China tried to use the drills to legitimize its Air Defense Identification Zone. Finally, it failed to evoke much of a reaction from Washington.

The May 21 Sino-Russian gas deal has been long expected, but it took Chinese and Russian negotiators more than a decade to overcome their differences on the issue, which reflecting diverging price expectations. In the end, the parties stuck to their winning formula of China’s providing Russian firms with the money they need in advance to develop new energy supplies and transport them to China through guaranteed long-term contracts. The United States has minimal influence over both countries’ energy policies and will need to work with regional partners, including China, to encourage price competition, competition, and transparency.

For China and the US, besides economic cooperation, there should be cooperation on many issues, including issues such as disaster warning and relief, anti-piracy and environmental protection, writes Su Xiaohui.

After last week’s announcement that Russia and China finally signed a 30-year natural gas pipeline agreement valued at $400 billion, Michal Meidan analyses the geopolitical implications of this deal and how it could affect global energy markets and the U.S. presence in Asia over the next few years.

The 30-year, $400 billion gas contract, signed between Russia’s state-controlled Gazprom and China during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Shanghai to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and to participate in the CICA summit, signals a new partnership between the two nations.

As international tensions increase over Russia’s actions in Crimea, China continues to keep a low profile. Ted Galen Carpenter explains that as China’s leaders exhibit nervous ambivalence over the developments, the United States should not misinterpret this as siding with Western powers.

Following the crisis in Ukraine, Russia-US relations will have to go through a readjustment, relaxation and gradual improvement, writes Yu Sui.

Skillful Chinese diplomacy has managed to transform an initial damage limitation strategy into one that will likely bring benefits to Beijing. China has won praise from both sides of the conflict without suffering any major costs. Although Beijing will not apply sanctions to Moscow for its actions, China has expressed disapproval of the Crimean referendum through its silence—probably the best Washington can hope for.