Beijing expressed its readiness to help Moscow minimize the impact of US sanctions.

And these are not just words, but a designation of the Chinese national interest.

It would seem that the whole world has long been accustomed to the constantly updated list of American sanctions against Russia. And yet every new package introduced causes circles on international water. American partners, vassals and "grunting" sanctions are constantly supporting, including accepting their own mini-packages. Moscow responds symmetrically (a slap in the face), and those external players who still value international law and the principles of sovereignty condemn the sanctions.   

Recently, however, this formula has begun to undergo interesting metamorphoses. So, Moscow stopped responding symmetrically, both to the Americans and to the "grunting" ones. The answer is demonstratively stronger: he sends not 18 (equal number with our deported), but 20 diplomats, sharply complicates the work of embassies and consulates of hostile countries, etc. Shows that Russia is tired of these games and everyone who now decides to play them, will receive not a demonstrative, but a real answer. And if, in the terminology of Vladimir Putin, this answer may not be critical for Sherkhan, then Tabaki can break the back. To deprive him of tourist income, contracts, Russian money. 

The other day, however, a second metamorphosis appeared in the formula. The most influential representative of the free world (that is, one who does not obey the dictates of the Americans and is not a member of the liberal-totalitarian sect of Western countries) - China - did not just express concern about sanctions. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that "in protecting the state sovereignty of the PRC and Russia will support each other." That is, translated from diplomatic into Russian: China will help Russia minimize the consequences of US sanctions. 

Of course, a number of experts and activists question this interpretation. They assure that the Chinese, as usual, are only expressing moral support for Moscow. That Chinese banks, as before, will be wary of going from words to deeds and cooperating with Russian business, so as not to fall under US sanctions. However, these experts and activists do not see that the situation in the Russia-USA-China triangle has changed significantly in recent years. And by no means in favor of the American angle.

Until recently, the Chinese authorities were really afraid of going into direct confrontation with the Americans. Even the transition of the United States under Trump from grumbling about "the Chinese have become too strong, we need to do something about it" to a trade war with China, as well as a series of sanctions against the Chinese high-tech (take the story with Huawei) did not lead to a change Beijing policy. The Chinese authorities were retreating, apparently in the hope that after Trump, everything will again enter into a rut of grumbling. However, it was not included - with all the conflicts between Republicans and Democrats, there was a consensus in both parties on the need to contain the PRC, including by means of sanctions and force. Therefore, under Biden, the course of containing China has moved to a new level:the sanctions were supplemented by attempts to disrupt or discredit the Beijing Olympics through human rights mechanisms and the use of the theme of "Uighur genocide in Xinjiang." 

Apparently, after that, the Chinese authorities finally realized that they would not be able to sit out, and moved on to more active protection of their sovereignty at the forefront of international borders.

In particular, the PRC has entered into a large-scale trade and investment agreement with Iran worth hundreds of billions of dollars - even though the United States continues to threaten with sanctions all foreign companies that work with Iranians.

Moreover, Chinese businessmen will invest in Iran even if the Americans and the Ayatollahs do not reach a compromise on the issue of resuscitating the nuclear deal. 

And if the Chinese have decided to throw down such a demonstrative challenge to the United States on the Iranian issue, then why not throw it on the Russian one? Don't ignore American threats and start investing money and technology in Russian projects? Moreover, the Russian direction (with all due respect to the Iranians) is much more profitable for the PRC. And from the point of view of the predictability of doing business, and from the point of view of the importance of the country itself to China's global interests.

And if some experts and analysts do not understand this logic, then a number of Western political scientists and journalists are already ringing the alarm. The American and European press has more and more articles about the formation of a Russian-Chinese alliance that challenges the global system controlled by the United States. An alliance in which Moscow and Beijing have long gone from words and expressions of concern to real deeds, such as strengthening the yuan as a global reserve currency alternative to the dollar, to joint efforts to restore order in Central Asia (which the United States now wants to rock) and Afghanistan ... And within the framework of this line of cooperation, the PRC's assistance to Russia in minimizing the impact of sanctions looks absolutely logical.

The actions of the Americans are not entirely logical.

It would seem that Joseph Biden should do everything possible to bring down the emerging alliance on takeoff.

And for this you just need to change the tone of communication with Russia, to seek compromises with it on the post-Soviet space (which is where 90% of all Russian-American vectors of the conflict pass).

Instead, Joe's grandfather is doing the opposite: he encourages Zelenskiy to start hostilities in the Donbass, and also introduces new sanctions against Russia, allowing Beijing to use them to get even closer to Moscow.

And after that, they called Trump a foreign agent.

The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.