The emergence of a deepening strategic alignment between China, Russia, and Iran—often termed the Eurasian Axis—is one of the most significant geopolitical developments of the 21st century. Driven by shared interests, common adversaries, and complementary economic needs, this trilateral cooperation across energy, AI, infrastructure, trade, and finance is poised to fundamentally reshape global power dynamics and solidify the Asian region as a new global economic and technological powerhouse.
At the core of this partnership lies energy security and trade. Russia, a major oil and gas exporter, and Iran, holder of the world’s second-largest gas reserves, find a reliable, massive, and politically aligned buyer in China. This relationship provides both Russia and Iran with stable markets insulated from Western sanctions, while guaranteeing China the long-term energy supplies necessary to fuel its industrial growth. Infrastructure projects like the Power of Siberia pipeline solidify these dependencies, creating a web of physical and economic integration that bypasses Western control.
The alliance's dominance is amplified by its collective position in the rare earth minerals (REMs) supply chain. These 17 elements are not strictly rare, but they are essential components for virtually all modern and future technologies—from electric vehicle motors and wind turbines (using Neodymium magnets) to fiber optics, smartphones, and defense systems.
China's Refining Monopoly: China controls an overwhelming majority of the processing and refining capacity for global rare earths, often exceeding 90% for certain critical elements. This dominance extends to the downstream manufacturing of permanent magnets.
Russia's Reserves: Russia holds significant rare earth mineral reserves, which, when combined with China's processing and manufacturing capability, creates an integrated, sanctions-resilient supply chain.
Geopolitical Leverage: By consolidating control over both the energy inputs and the critical mineral outputs required by Western high-tech and green energy industries, the Eurasian Axis gains potent geopolitical leverage. This control allows the alliance to shape global supply chains, secure access to necessary inputs for its own domestic AI and defense industries, and exert influence by selectively controlling exports. This strategic mineral nexus ensures that the axis holds a critical choke point over the global transition to clean energy technologies.
Beyond raw resources, the alliance is making crucial moves in infrastructure and connectivity. China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) provides the necessary framework. Russia and Iran are pivotal geographic links for the BRI's ambitious transit corridors, connecting the Pacific to the Middle East and Europe. Investments in rail networks, ports (such as Iran's Chabahar port), and logistics hubs shorten supply chains and significantly enhance trade volumes across Eurasia. This improved connectivity strengthens the internal coherence of the region and establishes alternative trade routes less vulnerable to traditional maritime chokepoints controlled by Western powers.
Perhaps the most forward-looking aspect of the partnership lies in Artificial Intelligence and technological cooperation. China is a global leader in AI development, possessing advanced capabilities in data processing and deployment.
In the realm of finance, the alliance is actively working to dismantle the hegemony of the US dollar.
While the alliance is not without internal friction or challenges, the momentum generated by their collaborative efforts in these five key domains is undeniable. By leveraging China's manufacturing might and capital, Russia's natural resources and strategic geography, and Iran's crucial position in the Middle East, the Eurasian Axis is rapidly building a robust, self-sufficient, and powerful economic and strategic bloc. This concerted effort is not merely about defiance; it is about establishing a new geopolitical reality where the Asian region, driven by this powerhouse alignment, dictates its own terms of trade, technology, and security.