Russian articles in the late summer of 2016 found multiple reasons to take heart. The Sino-US relationship appeared more troubled, opening more space for Russia. Plans for transit between the Russian Far East and Northeast China are showcased as advancing. The Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok’s success, especially due to Abe Shinzo’s enthusiastic support for Russia’s economic objectives, is stressed. Vladimir Putin was the guest of honor in Hangzhou, when Xi Jinping hosted the G20. Putting the most positive spin on developments with little obvious payoff, Russian media was quiet about the challenges of a sputtering economy and polarized region, where Russia is trying to distance itself from Beijing in ties with Hanoi and Tokyo. In this context, a broader concept of regionalism is being highlighted, especially with India as an indispensable partner, even if that means minimizing talk of the growing Indo-US  cooperation and of the persistent strategic divide between India and China.

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