The Relationship Between China and Russia

The ruble is not utilizable enough to be anything of an alternative to the US dollar, for petroleum related purposes. The relationship between China and Russia is interesting, because the big issue there is going to turn out is going to be whether Russia ultimately proves to be an asset or liability to China. I think China is increasingly taking the position that in the BRICS alliance, and then the Eastern Axis, we make the rules not for Russia and the other. They may have some military might, but we have the real might, the economic power. That relationship is extremely important.