Russia Is an Economic Colony of China? The Data Say Yes, De Facto - Econ Lessons

[TexasTowelie]

Hi, this is Mark. I am a PhD Economist, and I answer questions about Russia's status as China's economic colony. I do it with economic analysis and data. You be the judge.

I examine whether Russia has become, in economic terms, a de facto colony of China. This is not a claim about formal sovereignty or political control, but an analysis of trade structure, value chains, pricing power, capital access, and long-term dependency.

Using concrete data on exports, imports, energy pricing, currency settlement, industrial complexity, and infrastructure orientation, I show that Russia increasingly functions as a raw-material supplier to a dominant industrial center. This pattern is well documented in economic history and closely resembles earlier cases of informal or economic colonialism, in which states retained their flags and governments but lost economic autonomy.

The video proceeds in three steps:

A data-driven breakdown of Russia–China trade and financial dependence.

Historical parallels familiar to Western audiences include cases from Europe, Latin America, and colonial trade systems.

Forward-looking implications for Russia’s fiscal stability, industrial capacity, and strategic freedom.

The core argument is simple: when a country exports mostly what it extracts, imports what it consumes and uses, sells at a discount, lacks diversification, and has no credible exit options, it occupies a dependent position in the global economy, regardless of its political rhetoric.

This analysis is based on publicly available trade and macroeconomic data and is intended as a structural economic assessment, not a moral judgment.

[Klarkashton]

1. China owns Russia. No surprise.