Medvedev visits China on his first foreign trip as Russia's new president

For his first foreign tour as Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev this week heads east to China and not west to the old established powers.

It's a sign of how the two resurgent giants have buried Cold War rivalries and built a “strategic partnership” intended to serve as a counterweight to U.S. dominance.

But while the two countries share many common interests, there is continued friction in key areas – and the new cordial tone masks some harsh political realities.

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