Russia's bombardment of Syrian rebel positions and open backing of the Bashar al-Assad government in Syria meant that Moscow's role in the six-year civil war got most of the limelight in 2017. But the turnaround in Assad's fortunes in Syria was also made possible by a lesser-known sponsor: China.
China's rise on the global stage is nothing new, but October's Communist Party Congress shed light on just how powerful Chinese President Xi Jinping has become. Xi has committed extensive resources toward reforming China's military and developed its historic trade routes across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. And in both of those endeavors, Assad's comeback in Syria has had benefits for Beijing.