Western media speculation shows that the West, led by the United States, is unsure how to deal with China and Russia.
On the one hand, Western leaders and media are bringing China and Russia closer together by labeling them as the biggest threats. On the other hand, realizing that their unsubstantiated claims and accusations are having the opposite effect, they are also trying to drive a wedge between the two parties by playing on the so-called competition between them in Central Asia.
In line with the West’s policy towards China and Russia, the statement from the recent NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania said: “The deepening of the strategic partnership between (the People’s Republic of China) and Russia and their attempts at mutual reinforcement to undermine the rules-based international order go against our values and interests”. The statement also urged China to “play a constructive role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council,” to condemn Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, to refrain from supporting the operation in any way, to stop amplifying the narrative of Russia blaming Ukraine. and NATO for the conflict, and “adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.”
NATO talking about the UN Charter is like the devil swearing by the Bible. The West must realize that the China-Russia relationship is a comprehensive strategic partnership, in which both sides pledge to support each other and cooperate closely and effectively in all fields to promote regional and international peace and maintain stability. , development and prosperity.
Unfortunately, Western politicians and media continue to use old geopolitical tricks to maximize their political interests, exposing their lack of knowledge about the desires and aspirations of the people of Central Asia.
Take Afghanistan, for example. A peaceful, stable and prosperous Central Asia could contribute more to the development of Afghanistan, which has been devastated by decades of war and internal conflict, with the general public bearing the worst victims.
In addition, all ongoing projects and economic routes initiated by China connect Russia with Central Asia or pass through Russia, thus benefiting Russia as well. That the Russian media have maintained a studied silence on the provocative reports and false claims of the Western media means that they know the truth and believe that the peace, stability and development of the entire region is important to all.
However, the fact that Russia-China relations are friendly does not mean that they are against third parties, or that bilateral relations are affected by third-party factors. Especially in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, China, without taking sides, adheres to the policy of promoting negotiations between Moscow and kyiv to help end the conflict. In fact, Beijing maintains normal relations with both Moscow and kyiv, and as a result, China-Russia trade reached a record $190.2 billion in 2022.
In the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, more than 40 countries, including the United States and European Union states, imposed sanctions on Russia. But these sanctions have not been approved by the UN Security Council, and no international law supports them. More importantly, the US, the EU and the rest of the West do not represent the whole world.
More than 140 of the 193 formal UN member states have not announced any sanctions against Russia. And China, as a sovereign state, has the right to have normal friendly exchanges with Russia or any other country. China’s normal and friendly relationship with Russia is not only a manifestation of its independent diplomacy, but also a reflection of the principle of “not affected by third parties.”
Even in terms of contribution to the global economy, the value-added of the manufacturing industry of the G7 countries is not as much as that of China, and in terms of population, the population of the G7 countries is much smaller than that of China. . Yet the G7 countries point the finger at China, criticize its foreign policy and demand that China do as it says, perhaps because they still believe they control and run the world.
China has been following an endogenous model of development and maintaining friendly relations with neighbors for thousands of years. As former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said: “We have been friends with China for 2,000 years.”
China has benefited from friendly relations with its neighbors and vice versa. And a peaceful and stable environment is essential for sustainable development.
That is why China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative and the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity. While the BRI aims to improve connectivity and thus promote overall economic development, the goal of the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity is to build an inclusive global society, unlike the American development model. which benefits from turmoil and wars.
China has a huge domestic market, high-quality and efficient labor force, and a prosperous economy, and other countries, through friendly exchanges with China, have benefited from its development. Friendly relations between China and Russia are necessary for maintaining the stability, security, development and prosperity of the Eurasian region, as well as for the benefit of China and Russia.
The author is deputy secretary general of the Center for One Belt One Road of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
