I am by no means a Biden fan and consider him a dumpster fire of President when it comes to foreign affairs but I don’t believe that you can completely blame Old Joe for Russia and China’s apparent geopolitical embrace.
Such a cocktail of malevolence and incompetence was set in motion and later maintained by all Presidents from the 1990s onward, who empowered China by the gift of Most Favored Nation (MFN) trading status (although Trump pushed back more than the others). This policy greatly strengthened the Chinese economy by allowing Beijing to benefit from the utility of more open trade while selectively flouting what didn’t suit them. China was set on its road to becoming a trading superpower.
Then add on to such an economic transformation the parallel expansion of NATO into the many territories and nation states that were formerly part of the Old Warsaw Pact and you have a second ingredient. From Moscow’s perspective the arrow of aggression was directly pointed at them.
Russia though has oil and natural gas. Lots of it. China needs this for her burgeoning economy and so you have a match made in heaven (or hell depending on perspective). Russia can use China to push back against Western influence (especially when faced with wartime sanctions) while China can exploit the gas station next door. Its a win-win for both. The Ukraine war merely brought what was inevitable to the front.
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