Russia and China have had many different types of relations over the years. They are two of the largest states in terms of population and land mass. These two states also share large borders. The two states have a problematic past with the United States and both currently have somewhat precarious relations with the United States. Cooperation between Russia and China is beneficial to both states, although having an alliance together may pose a risk to the current status quo of international relations in Asia and the world. China and Russia will continue to work together to both achieve great power status in Asia. From a realist point of view on the matter, China and Russia only cooperate for their own personal benefits that satisfy them. Often their brief moments of amiability are interrupted by an altercation or disagreement between the two states. This is demonstrated in the history of their contacts. China and Russia first began their relations in the 17th century between the Romanov Empire and the Qing Dynasty when they signed the Treaty of Nerchinsk on September 6, 1689 (Harkins, 2010). China and Russia have had several skirmishes along the borders, but have maintained rather peaceful relations along the borders. They have a sensitive view of each other and are rivals in many ways due to their past together. Russians have often felt superior to the Chinese, which dates back to Tsarist Russia and the Qing Dynasty. During China's "century of humiliation", many unequal treaties were made between the two states. Many of these treaties took land away from China and the major treaty that did this was the Treaty of Peking in 1860 (Harkins, 2010). This treaty gave Russia Primorye and access to the Pacific Ocean. In 186...... middle of paper......hina Relations: Current state, alternative futures and implications for the West. Gelb, L. K. (2013). Beware of collusion by China and Russia. national interest, (126), 5.Harkins, D.W. (2010). Sino-Russian relations in the twenty-first century: prospects and problems. NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA.Hiscock, G (2013, September 13). Washington out in the open as China-Russia relations thrive. retrieved December 6, 2013, from CNN website: http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/03/world/asia/china-russia-relations-hiscock/Ross, R. S. (2009). The rise of Russia, Sino-Russian relations, and US security policy. Royal Danish Defense College, 1-8.Yang, C. (2013). A study of Sino-Russian energy cooperation from the perspective of international relations theories. Journal of China and International Relations, 1(2). Retrieved from http://ojs.aub.aau.dk/index.php/jcir/article/view/534