HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

As the United States and Europe threaten Russia with trade sanctions, Moscow is looking east to Asian countries that might act as an economic bulwark.

The Kremlin’s calculations rely heavily on China — already the second largest importer of Russian goods and a voracious energy consumer.

Increased Russian reliance on China would be helped along by a thaw in relations between Moscow and Beijing in recent decades. The countries share a border, often team up on U.N. Security Council votes and frequently trade military equipment.  Read more