The Center for Security Studies at the Swiss Higher Technical School of Zurich analyzed the cooperation between Russia and China. Experts came to the conclusion that, despite certain restrictions in both economic and geopolitical cooperation, Moscow and Beijing will continue to build friendly relations in the future, including in order to gain "greater influence in the international arena."

Also, center analysts noted that the anti-Russian sanctions of the West and the US-China trade war contributed to the rapprochement of Moscow and Beijing. Therefore, the authors of the document offer Europe to consider the possibility of restoring closer ties with Russia, even if "Crimea remains under Russian control." Culturally, the Russian Federation is still more focused on Europe than on China, the researchers added.

“It’s worth considering whether, in the long term, close relations between Russia and Europe should be re-established, even if Crimea remains under Moscow’s control for the foreseeable future,” the report reads to RT.

At the same time, Swiss experts emphasize that the restoration of relations should not mean the adoption of Russian "violations of international law and agreements," and should not also be aimed at "creating an alliance between Russia and the West against China."

Meanwhile, Moscow has repeatedly noted that the issue of Crimea’s ownership is closed, and the peninsula itself has reunited with Russia in accordance with all international standards - after a legal referendum.

“The people of Crimea made a decision, voted. The issue is historically closed, there is no return to the previous system at all, ”emphasized Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping
  • Reuters
  • © Evgenia Novozhenina

More than a symbolic union

The strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing is much more than just a symbolic alliance, according to the Swiss Center for Security Studies. Countries are strengthening trade relations - in 2018, trade volume increased by 25% compared to the previous one, analysts recalled.

According to the report, for Russia, the Chinese market is an important alternative to the European one. The Russian Federation exports weapons and energy resources to the PRC. Since 2016, the country has become the main supplier of oil to China, ahead of Saudi Arabia. In turn, Chinese state-owned corporations own part of the Russian liquefied natural gas projects in the Arctic and supply equipment for drilling oil wells.

In addition, states are actively developing tourism and conducting joint military exercises. And at the global level, they are united against the influence of the United States and its allies within the framework of international organizations, for example, the UN, and support the idea of ​​a multipolar world with different value systems.

At the same time, there are a number of disagreements between the Russian Federation and China, Swiss experts emphasize. The interests of Moscow and Beijing clash in Central Asia. Thanks to close linguistic and cultural ties, Russia plays an important role for the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. I interact with the states within the framework of the EAEU and the CSTO. Recently, however, China has been increasing its influence in the region, offering the republics financing that competes with Russian integration projects.

The report also indicates that a full-fledged alliance of the Russian Federation and China is hindered by their self-identification as great powers, unwillingness to depend on each other and obey the strategy dictated by one of the parties.

Nevertheless, according to analysts, the partnership between Moscow and Beijing in the future may affect the geopolitical balance of power.

“Regardless of how Russian-Chinese relations develop in the long term with regard to Central Asia, their partnership can have far-reaching consequences for the global geopolitical balance. This is manifested in international organizations, in an emphasis on common political positions, as well as in the expansion of military cooperation, most recently in the framework of joint exercises of the air forces in the East China Sea, ”the Swiss organization says.

As explained in an interview with RT, professor of the Department of Comparative Political Science of RUDN University, Yuri Pochta, in the West they fear the rapprochement between Moscow and Beijing.

“These fears are based on the political culture of Western society, because for several centuries Europeans have tried to prevent the strengthening of any power due to an alliance with others. However, Europe’s current policy of containing Russia is, on the contrary, pushing Moscow to cooperate with China, ”he said.

The political scientist noted that some Western politicians recognize that it is time to return the Russian Federation to European space. Neither the security problem of Europe, nor the conflict in the Middle East can be resolved without Russia, the Post added.

At the same time, Associate Professor of the Department of Political Theory of MGIMO, Kirill Koktysh notes that the concern of the West is connected, first of all, with the economic consequences of the tandem of Russia and China.

“The combination of the Russian and Chinese markets could be a nightmare for Europe. Especially if Beijing will be not only a raw material, but also a technology donor. This would be a significant loss for Europe, which would mean missed opportunities and, accordingly, the emergence of a large competitive entity, ”said Koktysh.

The current economic model has exhausted itself, he pointed out, and such players as the USA, Russia, China, India will agree on the rules of the new. Europe, strongly divided by internal contradictions, is not visible in this series, the expert concluded.

Invented "threat"

Recently, in the West, Russia and China are increasingly perceived as a “threat." So, earlier in the analytical center at the European Commission they announced the growing “influence” of Russia and China, which supposedly threatens European democracy. Countries have also been repeatedly ordered to disseminate misinformation and propaganda.

Europe also paid attention to the military potential of the Russian Federation and China. Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron recalled the need to create a unified European army, including to defend against Russia and China. And in the US Department of Defense, “counteraction” to these two states was called the first task for 2020.

It is noteworthy that both Russian and Chinese officials explained that their military potential does not imply aggression against other countries.

Talk about the growth of the military power of Moscow and Beijing is deliberately conducted in order to justify their own militarization, says Kirill Koktysh. States and their European allies need to come up with enemies to explain their defense spending.

Yuri Pochta, in turn, added that for a long time Russia was not perceived as a strong independent state, and now they fear that it is strengthening its national security.

“In the world for many years there was a balance of forces in which Russia was seen as a loser in the Cold War. But now it regains significance, revives the armed forces, defends national security. These natural processes cause misunderstanding and suspicion, ”he stated.

Peaceful cooperation

Meanwhile, Moscow and Beijing have repeatedly advocated an exclusively peaceful settlement of modern crises.

“Russia and China are working in favor of a peaceful settlement of the crisis in Syria, advocating for the stabilization of the situation in Venezuela, and remain committed to the full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan for the Iranian nuclear program,” Vladimir Putin said earlier.

Moreover, the military cooperation of the countries is exclusively defensive in nature. According to Minister of Defense of China Wei Fenghe, it is the basis for global peace.

States also support a polycentric system and multipolar diplomacy. The support of such a device, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, is the BRICS association (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).

  • BRICS leaders at a meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa. July 26, 2018
  • Reuters
  • © Mike Hutchings

Cooperation is also developing within other organizations, including the SCO and the Eurasian Union.

Moreover, this year Russia and China refused to make payments in dollars and switched to national currency. Beijing is determined to continue to closely cooperate with Moscow, while increasing trade turnover to $ 200 billion.

“At the beginning of a new stage in the development of our relations and looking to the future, we intend to implement the agreements reached by the leaders of our countries, strengthen coordination, fulfill our obligations to maintain multilateralism and the existing world order, as well as promote our bilateral relations, this is in the interests of the peoples of both our countries and favorable for peace and development in the world, ”said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Gen Shuang.

As Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev emphasized, Russian-Chinese relations have entered a new era and are at an unprecedentedly high level.