Building solid ties on land

Mutual interests: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi shaking hands during a news conference in Moscow, Russia. Because of several developments abroad, the bilateral relationship between China and Russia has now reached new levels with the prospect of developing further. — Reuters

At least as important as the disputes over East Asian waters are the blossoming relations and plans on mainland Europe and Asia.

RECENT reports and speculation on rising major power interests in the Asia-Pacific, notably in the East and South China Seas, paint a picture of “the great game” being played out strategically in East Asia.