"The foundation of a new multipolar order": why China declared the special importance of relations with Russia

Bilateral relations between Russia and China are going through the best period in history.

This was stated by the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Russian Federation Zhang Hanhui in an interview with RIA Novosti at the end of the year.

The Chinese ambassador noted that among more than 170 countries with which Beijing has diplomatic ties, only relations with Moscow are positioned as entering a new era and having uniqueness and special importance.

“This shows that relations between China and Russia are in the best period in history and at an unprecedented high level, and the pace of their development has created a miracle in the history of relations between major countries,” the diplomat said.

Zhang Hanhui added that the 20 years that have passed since the signing of the Treaty on Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between China and Russia have been marked by a turbulent period in terms of the global and regional situation, including due to the serious evolution of the global political and economic landscape.

At this time, relations between Beijing and Moscow "passed hardening" and reached a higher level and quality, the Chinese ambassador to the Russian Federation emphasized.

An unprecedented model of stable development of dialogue has been created between neighboring large states, Zhang Hanhui noted.

“Mature, constructive and stable Sino-Russian relations create a new model for the sustainable and stable development of relations between neighboring powers, providing the two countries with the ability to move steadily along the right path without the interference of external factors, and represent a successful model and experience in the development of international relations,” stressed diplomat.

The Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Russia added that relations between the two countries are progressing at a rapid pace, and over the past 20 years their level has been constantly increasing: "from partnership relations of strategic cooperation to ... relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction."

Confronting the Hegemons

Simultaneously with a statement on the interaction between Russia and China, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also made a statement. He stressed that together, Moscow and Beijing are able to withstand pressure from states aiming at global domination.

“I firmly believe that if our great powers, China and Russia, stand shoulder to shoulder and step up cooperation, the international order will be unshakable and global principles irrefutable.

Hegemonism will not be able to defeat us, ”TASS quoted him as saying.

The PRC Foreign Minister recalled that Russia and China act as guarantors of sustainable world development and productively cooperate on such platforms as the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

“We are strengthening strategic cooperation on pressing issues, contributing to the maintenance of stability in the region and playing a key role in strengthening the cohesion of many developing countries,” the head of Chinese diplomacy stressed.

In turn, the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the People's Republic of China, Tan Kefei, announced a breakthrough in inter-army cooperation between Russia and China.

“The armed forces of China and the Russian Federation maintain a high level of relations, we have achieved a breakthrough in the process of implementing strategic interaction between the two countries.

Sino-Russian cooperation has remained stable, despite difficult "weather conditions," a spokesman for the PRC's military department said at a press briefing.

Recall that in the framework of military cooperation between Russia and China in October in the Sea of ​​Japan joint exercises of the two countries "Sea Interaction - 2021" were held.

According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Maritime Interaction exercises with the participation of the fleets of Russia and China have been held since 2012 and are aimed at strengthening the combat capability of the Russian Federation and the PRC for "jointly countering threats at sea."

• Ships of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Federation in joint exercises with China

• globallookpress.com

• © MOD Russia

Beijing realizes that the modern world has become multipolar, and the time of rapprochement between China and the United States, begun by American President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, is far behind, Alexander Domrin, professor at the HSE Faculty of Law, said in a conversation with RT.

“China is well aware that now it is in a completely different situation than before.

The PRC is an industrial base for many countries of the world, and America is losing its dominance in this multipolar world, ”the political scientist said.

Some American leaders and politicians like Donald Trump realized the disadvantage of this situation for the United States and tried to take various measures to contain the PRC, said Alexander Domrin.

“But the growing American hysteria about the danger of China and Russia only brings them closer to each other.

At the same time, the rapprochement between Beijing and Moscow marks the weakening of the remaining side of the global triangle Russia-China-USA represented by Washington, ”the expert noted.

Highest level

Russian leader Vladimir Putin also spoke about the special status of relations between Moscow and Beijing.

So, during the recent talks with the head of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, which took place via video link on December 15, the President of the Russian Federation called the relations between the two countries a model of interstate cooperation in the 21st century.

Putin noted that the coordination of efforts between Russia and China makes a significant contribution to maintaining stability in the world.

"The close coordination between Russia and China of their actions in the world arena, a responsible joint approach to solving pressing world problems have become a significant factor in stability in international relations," the president said.

• Talks between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping

• Reuters

• © Mikhail Metzel

Putin stressed that a new model of cooperation has been formed between the two states, which is based, among other things, on such principles as non-interference in internal affairs and respect for each other's interests.

Shortly after the talks between the leaders of the two countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that Beijing would resolutely defend global security based on the mutual understanding reached by Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.

“We will continue to act in accordance with the consensus reached by the leaders of the PRC and Russia, and will actively contribute to the ongoing maintenance of overall regional and global security,” said a Chinese foreign ministry official.

He also stressed that the PRC, together with the Russian Federation, resolutely opposes the efforts of individual states to establish global hegemony.

In a conversation with RT, Pavel Feldman, Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Forecasts of RUDN University, recalled that China began to cultivate trusting relations with Russia since the mid-2000s.

“Since that time, China has been talking about Russia exclusively in friendly terms, perceives it not only as a regional ally, but also as a country with which any geopolitical issues can be resolved.

It should be noted that this friendship was strengthened largely due to the actions of the United States and its allies, for which the Russian Federation and the PRC are foreign policy opponents, ”the expert emphasized.

In addition, the strengthening of cooperation is explained by long-term strategic interests, common views on how a modern multipolar world should be arranged, Feldman added.

According to Feldman, the position of the "collective West" in relation to the two powers, of course, influenced their rapprochement, but cooperation between the PRC and the Russian Federation is built not only on the basis of the confrontation between the United States and NATO, the political scientist emphasized.

“Russia and China have taken serious steps in the field of energy cooperation, technology exchange, and the field of building common supply chains.

China views Russia not only as a potential supplier of hydrocarbons for its market, but also as a transport corridor for its goods to Europe, "the interlocutor of RT explained.

Within the framework of these relations, “the foundation of a new multipolar order is being laid,” noted Pavel Feldman.

“Moreover, China takes its firm independent position on the world stage and does not react to the pressure of Western partners.

Our cooperation has tremendous prospects, and the world as a whole, especially developing countries that are fighting for a more equitable global order, will only benefit from this, ”the expert summed up.