Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping’s Beijing-made statements, as well as a number of important documents signed, have become a joint signal to the West that they consider their relations a worldwide standard, while the United States is frantically seeking to preserve its shaky global hegemony and proceed with its brutal pressure on Russia, China and other nations for this end.
Yes, Putin emphasizes that relations between Russia and China are neither opportunistic nor directed against anyone else. This is a universal formula for both our bilateral ties and Moscow’s foreign policy in general. But in fact, Russia and China are demonstrating to Washington that they have entered into informal allied interaction, and opponents (or enemies, whatever works best for you) must take due regard of this.
Putin's visit to China is underway amid Xi Jinping's just-completed once to Europe, where he had arduous negotiations with French President Macron and EU leaders. Against that visit to France, Xi’s subsequent trips to Serbia and Hungary highlighted China’s negative perception of the collective West. Russian-Chinese negotiations in Beijing have confirmed this sentiment, although Beijing also is not going to demonstrate open hostility to the United States or its allies.
On the other hand, Putin’s sumptuous visit to China, accompanied by vital statements and documents, has been itself indicative that China does have Russia’s back. If we talk about the PRC alone, this declares its vision for a foreseeable future rubbing shoulders with Russia. And to Moscow, this implies support in its existential confrontation with the West.
The key argument for such an interpretation has been China’s stance on Ukraine. In the two leaders’ joint statement, the issue was “hidden” in the penultimate, ninth chapter. It reads that Russia “positively assesses China's objective and unbiased position on the Ukrainian issue and shares the approach according to which conflicts should be resolved on the basis of the UN Charter in its entirety and totality.”
“The Russian side,” the document goes on to say, “welcomes China's readiness to play a constructive role in the issue of the political and diplomatic settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. The parties note the need to stop any steps contributing to the prolongation of hostilities and further escalation of the conflict, call for preventing its transition into an uncontrolled phase, emphasize the importance of dialogue as the best form of resolving the Ukrainian crisis."
And most importantly, “the parties proceed from the fact that in order to ensure a sustainable settlement of the Ukrainian crisis it is necessary to eliminate its root causes and to adhere to the principle of indivisibility of security, to take into account the legitimate security interests and concerns of all countries.” And this is a direct indication of what Russia has been insistently pointing out to the United States and NATO even before embarking upon its special military operation. In other words, the document has confirmed China’s pro-Russian stance.
Putin has expressed confidence that Russia and China can literally do anything. “Our cooperation has limitless opportunities and prospects. We are strong enough to cope with any obstacles and implement most ambitious plans,” Putin said. This statement should cause euphoria among friends, while forcing enemies to pause and take a few steps back, given that everyone knows the key military issues Russia and China face and intend to resolve from common ground. Apart from Ukraine we’ve already mentioned, there are other challenges as well.
First, China and Russia expressed joint “serious concern” about US attempts to upset strategic balance and “secure a decisive military advantage.” Amid this, the statement says that “the parties have stated with satisfaction that the consistent development of their cooperation in defense based on a high level of mutual strategic trust has made an efficient contribution to strengthening regional and global security.” Best regards to Washington, sure thing.
Second, Russia has made a retaliatory move favoring China after it demonstrated its stance on Ukraine. The parties have declaimed against any interference of extra-regional forces in ensuring security and stability in the South China Sea. “Russia supports efforts by China and ASEAN nations to jointly protect peace and stability in the South China Sea. The parties recognize that the countries involved should resolve the South China Sea issue through talks and consultations, and strongly oppose extra-regional forces’ interference in the issue,” the Putin-Xi joint statement notes. Besides, Russia opposes Taiwanese independence, endorsing China's effort aimed to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The third component — a military one — is that the parties have not forgotten their common ally, who may play a key role for both Russia and China. This certainly refers to North Korea. Moscow and Beijing have argued against attempts by the United States and its allies to come up with military provocations against the DPRK. An encouraging and clear signal has been sent to Pyongyang to be unafraid of anything.
Notably, Russia and China both think globally. Their joint statement is a call for active interaction to the Global South. “The parties will help increase coordination of the BRICS countries on international platforms, strengthen interaction in trade, digital economy, public health, and also contribute to effectively promoting dialogue on the use of national currencies, payment tools and platforms in mutual trade transactions of the BRICS member states,” the document says. “The parties note the growing dynamics of ongoing global changes, strengthened positions and growing real capabilities of the Global South and regional leaders. The contours of polycentric, multipolar world order are becoming more distinct.”
The Russian-Chinese joint statement is a means to tell all those interested that there is not a single major political or socio-economic issue left in our bilateral relations that has not been embraced or marked by mutual understanding.
All of this is being done in a deliberately transparent manner, which aims to convince the United States and its allies of futility of their attempts to drive a wedge between Russia and China. This is what Washington craves as it grabs hold of its hegemony, not only intending to tear Beijing away from Moscow, but to pit the Chinese and Russians against each other so that they weaken or even destroy one another. Perfectly aware of this strategy, Moscow and Beijing have been working together the other way round.