They will definitely follow that path if China can depend on Russia for mineral resources, and at this point it seems like it can depend. You don't need to control the seaways to bring iron, coal, gas or oil from Siberia and the Russian Far East into China. Mongolia next door has some of the biggest copper mines in the world that has just opened. [1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyu_Tolgoi_mine

How self sufficient is Russia? I heard that they have plenty of natural resources, but not enough engineering to exploit them effectively without importing the necessary technology.

I don't think that's true anymore.

Ir raw materials perhaps, but they can no longer build cars.