[the_dune_13]

"Both Russia, and China spent a big chunk of their history under foreign occupation" What's the Russian's big chunk? "having to server as a tributary, or vassal lord to some Hun/Mongol/Tatar/Manchu khan on your own home soil?" Didn't Grand Duchy of Muscovy predecessors come to existence thanks to alliance with Golden Horde?

[baybal2]

Yes, they had an alliance in a manner of vassalage in exchange for khan's troops.

It was basically the khan saying them "I will back you if you submit a bigger chunk of Russian land to me"

It was like that with Mongols, and many other foreign invaders before, and after them. Both by Muscovy, and by duchies apposing it.