Evading Economic Sanctions: A Systematic Review of Russia-China Strategies During Wartime

The enforcement of economic sanctions against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine has heightened attention to circumvention tactics, especially via cooperation with China, consequently altering worldwide economic and geopolitical relations. This systematic literature review analyzes the mechanisms and consequences of Russia-China sanctions evasion, with particular attention to the adaptation of bilateral economic relations under external pressure. This study examines the changing dynamics of Sino-Russian relations against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict, the impact of sanctions, and their wider implications for global financial structures and regional partnerships. The study, drawing on an analysis of prior research, pinpoints essential trends in trade diversion, alternative payment mechanisms, and informal financial channels, which have helped both countries reduce the effects of Western sanctions. The results indicate these approaches have yielded temporary solutions, yet they simultaneously highlight weaknesses in the international financial system and intensify rifts between leading nations. Moreover, the analysis underscores the geopolitical consequences of these avoidance strategies, which encompass alterations in local competitions and the possibility of enduring adjustments in trade alliances. The paper argues the Russia-China sanctions evasion framework not merely challenges the existing sanctions regime but also highlights the necessity for multilateral cooperation to tackle systemic gaps. These findings advance comprehension of the transformation in economic conflict within a world growing more divided.