One is a rising power that believes time is on its side. The other is former empire desperate to revive its past imperial glory. They share opposition to the Western-led liberal world order. But their geopolitical interests clash in Central Asia, the Far East, and elsewhere.

So are Russia and China allies? Frenemies? Competitors? Or all of the above? And what does it mean going forward?

On this week’s Power Vertical Podcast Brian Whitmore take a close look at the Sino-Russian relationship with Stephen Blank, a senior fellow on Russia at the American Foreign Policy Council.