The period from 1985 to 1996 is an important period in Sino-Soviet/Russian relations. It is also an important period in international politics. During this period, profound political, economic and social changes occurred in both countries, in their bilateral relations and in international relationship, which was characterised by the end of the Cold War. Amidst those changes the relationship between the two giant neighbours evolved from two Cold War antagonistic rivals to post-Cold War strategic partners

The thesis, in an all-round way, makes a detailed survey of the course and process of their rapprochement in this period and analyses the motivations, the determining and contributing factors and the dynamics of this evolution. It also highlights the importance of this changed bilateral relationship for intra-regional relationship and the security and power configuration of the Far East and the Asia-Pacific region