It seems obvious to me, but this made the headlines as a big story. China knew that Russia was going to invade Taiwan, sorry wrong invasion, the Ukraine. Being a kind chubby dictator, willing to get on with other Asiatic despots, Putin agreed to hold off the invasion until after the Beijing Winter Olympics, which he appeared to do. More importantly, China in about November or December 2021, began buying all of their Russia-origin cargoes, such as grains, crude oil, and petrochemical products, on a “free on-board origin” basis. This was unusual as China would hold claim to the goods as soon as they were loaded onto the ship, taking all the risk in delivery, indicating that China knew that sanctions would be imposed upon Russia. It all makes sense.
China, in its coming Taiwan invasion is well-prepared for Western sanctions, having already brought up most of the world’s food reserves, because that is the “logic” of globalised free trade. It is the economics of digging your own grave.