German Media: Putin Sells Gas Cheaply, Xi Jinping 'Squeezes' Russia Dry

German media published a commentary pointing out that Russian President Vladimir Putin, who recently visited China, offered deep discounts to China in order to secure gas purchases. However, China is demanding that Russia sell gas at significantly discounted domestic prices, and President Xi Jinping is 'squeezing' Russia like a lemon, leaving Putin with no choice but to comply. The German newspaper 'Die Tageszeitung' titled its commentary 'The Beggar's Journey,' criticizing Putin's visit. It pointed out that the war in Ukraine and subsequent economic sanctions have plunged Russia into severe economic distress, and instead of making Europe dependent on Russia, Putin has effectively 'shackled himself to China.' The commentary also noted that Moscow is begging Beijing for massive funding for infrastructure projects. In terms of technology and drones, Russia has become almost entirely dependent on 'Made in China' products, with 36% of Russian imports now coming from China. The article mentioned that while Xi claims Sino-Russian friendship is 'unbreakable,' in reality, Putin cannot escape Xi's shackles. Chinese cars dominate the Russian market, crushing the domestic auto industry. The commentary argues that Putin can only continue the war because Beijing provides support; if Beijing were to cut off supplies, Moscow would have to stop the war immediately. China is demanding a high price for this support, including the demand for gas at domestic prices. It concludes that Russia is becoming a 'province of China,' and Putin's desire for hegemony has left him in a weakened state.