The Greater Eurasian Partnership
Russia and China fortify their ties even stronger than ever against western aggression. Media warns against a “mega-east block”, which could “look down on the West.”
BERLIN/MOSCOW/BEIJING (Own report) – Germany and other western powers are reacting to the fortification of Russian-Chinese cooperation with plans for driving a wedge between the two countries and with a fierce media campaign. In a joint statement last Friday, Moscow and Beijing announced that they would significantly intensify their cooperation in the future. New “relations” between Russia and China would be “superior to political and military alliances of the Cold War era.” The Russian-Chinese cooperation also aims at repelling western aggression. Both sides will oppose further expansion of NATO as well as the deployment of US medium-range missiles in the vicinity of China. They seek to intensify their economic cooperation and, for example, to coordinate the Chinese New Silk Road with the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union. German media commentators speak of a “new mega-east block”, which could “look down on the West” in the future. At the same time, the media campaign is heating up against the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Defending Core Interests
In their joint statement published last Friday, Russia and China “reaffirm their strong mutual support for the protection of their core interests, state sovereignty and territorial integrity.”[1] This concretely refers to fending off efforts by “certain States, military and political alliances and coalitions” seeking to obtain “unilateral military advantages” to the detriment of others and thus “seriously undermine the international security order and global strategic stability.” Both sides declare their opposition to further expansion of NATO. Beijing is thus openly taking Russia's side in the current conflict over Ukraine. “The sides also stand against the formation of closed bloc structures ... in the Asia-Pacific region” citing the September 2021 AUKUS Defense Pact (Australia, United Kingdom, United States),[2] as an example, about which, they are “seriously concerned.” China declared its support for Russia’s proposals to “create long-term legally binding security guarantees in Europe.” And Moscow, in turn, its support for the “One-China principle,” and its opposition to any form of independence for Taiwan.
The Role of International Law
According to their statement, Moscow and Beijing explicitly base their position on the “international system with the central coordinating role of the United Nations in international affairs” and “defend the world order based on international law, including the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.” This is in contrast to the policy West European and North American powers pursue, which have repeatedly violated international law throughout the past decades – in their wars against Yugoslavia (1999), Iraq (2003), Libya (2011) while regularly invoking not international law, but a “rules-based international order” that politically deviates from it. (german-foreign-policy.com will soon report.) In this context, Russia and China oppose all efforts to revise the “outcome of the Second World War,” denying the responsibility for atrocities by Nazi occupiers or “militarist invaders.” This refers to the main aggressors in the Second World War, Germany and Japan, as well as, their collaborators, for example in the Baltic countries and Ukraine. (german-foreign-policy.com reported.[3]).
Undivided Security
Building on the United Nations System, Russia and China reject not only all attempts to “interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign countries under any pretext,” and oppose color revolutions,” – pro-western subversion. They also advocate the recognition of the fundamental principle that no State should attempt to “ensure its own security separately from the security of the rest of the world and at the expense of the security of other States.” This reflects corresponding formulations in the Charter for European Security of 1999,[4] and seeks to have this applied globally. Specifically, Moscow and Beijing oppose plans forged by the United States to station medium range missiles in Eastern and Southeastern Asia, targeting China, and possibly in Europe, targeting Russia.[5]
Silk Road plus Economic Union
Both sides have also set ambitious objectives at the economic level. In their statement, they declare their intention to link China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Russia’s Eurasian Economic Union; reference is made to a “Greater Eurasian Partnership” in this context. To promote the cooperation on a very practical level, a number of agreements were also reached on Friday, that not only foresee an expansion of economic cooperation, but particularly an expansion of Russian oil and gas deliveries to China. There was talk of long-term business deals valued at around €100 billion. In addition, an intensification of cooperation primarily in the natural gas sector is planned.[6]
“A New Mega-East Block”
The growing expansion of the Russian-Chinese cooperation has an impact on Germany and the West in various ways. On the one hand, it strengthens Russia and China’s defense against western aggressions – ranging from economic sanctions to military pressures. That applies, for example, to the threats to expel Moscow from the global financial system.[7] The increase in Russia’s gas deliveries to China, on the other hand, will contribute toward providing an alternative to its deliveries to Germany and the EU, thereby depriving Berlin and Brussels of their previous nearly exclusive access to Russian gas.[8] But above all, the western powers are now having to confront two rivals, who are more comprehensively merging their power potentials. One commentary, for example, made reference to “a new mega-East Block” that is emerging, with “the power” to “shift the balance of power around the globe.”[9] Perspectively, it may possibly be even able “to look down on the West:” “militarily, economically and not least of all, because of its geographic expanse and the size of its population.”[10]
“No Natural Partners”
Reactions to this vary. Some commentators point out that Russia and China are mainly being brought together through western aggression, and, to some extent, are pursuing very different interests. One commentary states that, they are “not natural partners” and “are very differently equipped for facing the multipolar world’s power struggle.”[11] Just recently, Harald Kujat, former Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, judged that, in the background of negotiations with Moscow over the current conflict over Ukraine, the USA seeks “a stable relationship with Russia, since China is its larger, and more dangerous adversary.” Therefore, the objective is to drive a wedge between Moscow and Beijing.[12] At the same time, the aggressivity toward Russia and China has reached new heights. Currently, they are apparent in the propaganda campaign against the Olympic Winter Games being held in Beijing. They are being juxtaposed to the 1936 Olympic games in the Nazi capital, Berlin.[13] Over the weekend, the daily, taz, commented a photo depicting IOC President Thomas Bach, China’s President Xi Jinping and other functionaries during the opening ceremonies of the Winter Games with the caption “The world as guests of criminals.”[14]
[1] This quote and those that follow: Joint Statement of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on the International Relations Entering a New Era and the Global Sustainable Development. February 4, 2022.
[2] See also The EU's Indo-Pacific Strategy
[3] See also Of Perpetrators, Victims and Collaborators (II) and Von Tätern, Opfern und Kollaborateuren (III).
[4] See also “Equal Right to Security”
[5] See also Together Against China
[6] Steffen Wurzel: Gas und Gemeinsamkeiten. tagesschau.de 04.02.2022.
[7] See also “An Atomic Bomb for the Capital Markets”
[8] See also Pipeline Blockade during the Natural Gas Crisis
[9] Matthias Koch: Aufwachen in der Welt von Drache und Bär. rnd.de 05.02.2022.
[10] Matthias Koch: Russland plus China: Der Megaostblock verändert die Welt. rnd.de 04.02.2022.
[11] Nikolas Busse: Globales Ringen um Freiheit. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 05.02.2022.
[12] See also Kriegstrommeln in Deutschland.
[13] Andreas Platthaus: Riefenrost. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 05.02.2022.
[14] Die Welt zu Gast bei Verbrechern. taz 05.02.2022.
