Russia and China are furthering their partnership. Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met in Beijing to discuss the joint counteraction to the western sanctions and the creation of alternative international paradigms covering the economic issues and security. How are the plans helping create a multipolar world?
Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov travelled to Beijing to meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. The two diplomats discussed a wide range of topics on the future Russia–China partnership dynamic. Minister Lavrov said the relations had reached ‘an unprecedented level’. According to him, the two-state interaction is based on mutual respect and trust.
The parties agreed on countering the sanctions using the SCO and BRICS mechanisms. They also decided to involve other friendly states to broach Eurasian security issues, an initiative prompted by both Russia and China striving to beef up regional security, seeing as neither OSCE nor NATO are capable of doing it.
Apart from this, both Moscow and Beijing condemned the US meddling in other nations’ and regions’ affairs. Specifically, Wang Yi proposed the ‘dual counteraction’ policy towards western countries intended as an antidote to the US dual deterrence policy Washington is using to prevent the emergence of a multipolar world.
Sergey Lavrov explained that Russia and China would join forces to thwart any such attempts as long as ‘the United States and its allies are trying to stop them in an effort to perpetuate their unjust position within the international system’. ‘We remember how our leaders formulated the task of standing back to back and shoulder to shoulder against the attempts to slow down the objective course of history,’ the minister added.
Besides, the diplomats concurred on a similar view of the Ukrainian conflict. Both Moscow and Beijing regard any international meetings ignoring Russia’s legitimate security demands as pointless. As for the ‘peace formula’ proposed by Volodymyr Zelensky, it implies an ultimatum that defies the current international situation.
‘By bringing up “dual counteraction”, Russia and China are sending an important message to the US and Europe. This is a broad hint directed at western nations, meaning it is high time they reconsidered their policies,’ says Stanislav Tkachenko, a professor of European studies at the Faculty of International Relations, St. Petersburg State University, and a Valdai Club expert.
‘Moscow and Beijing are both concerned with the same issues, which drives an efficient partnership. Both states are not happy with the West’s sanctions policy. Not only is the US imposing restrictions on Russia, but it is also pressuring China into compliance. Countering this pressure is something we are bonding over,’ the professor explains.
‘On top of that, an important part of the bilateral cooperation is the common vector towards building a multipolar world. Conversely, while the US realises that this process is evitable, it is seeking ways to slow it down and retain its hegemony.
‘Up until recently neither Moscow nor Beijing minded the formation of the multipolar world within the UN framework through, say, whittling down Washington’s executive clout over this organization. But the US is unwilling to negotiate it,’ the expert points out.
‘That is why Russia and China have switched to Plan B to build a multipolar world while countering the West. This could include their SCO and BRICS cooperation where the states can handle the economic matters, the sanctions and Eurasian security without having to align their stances with the West,’ Professor Tkachenko adds.
Moscow and Beijing may also create separate economic structures that would incentivise trading in national currencies and thus help bypass the sanctions in the most efficient way, according to Vasily Kashin, director of the Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies (CCEIS) at the HSE University.
‘This process can be implemented through BRICS and the SCO. Though it is not an easy task, given the imbalanced trade patterns among the countries involved, but they can give it a shot,’ he says. ‘This is evidenced by the Russia–China cooperation. The two countries have almost fully switched to trading in national currencies. Besides, they have created a system that facilitates the trade amid the damaging sanctions. Granted, there are a couple of hiccups every here and there, but they have made considerable progress,’ Vasily Kashin notes.
‘As for the announcement of ‘dual counteraction’, it is indicative of a move towards closer cooperation between Russia and China. True, the US uses its configuration of alliances to try and bridle the two nations, but it prompts Moscow and Beijing to expand the cooperation scope,’ he emphasises. ‘Such coordination may rely on their own underlying technologies. It may also be implemented by rerouting the product supply chains. Joint diplomatic steps and military drills are something to consider as well,’ the expert suggests.
‘This may help further bridge the gap between Moscow and Beijing. Most likely, following his inauguration, Vladimir Putin will go to China repaying President Xi’s visit to Moscow. Probably it will result in new bilateral agreements,’ Vasily Kashin theorises.
‘Importantly, China agrees that the Ukrainian crisis cannot be resolved without Russia’s involvement. This view challenges Zelensky’s “peace formula”. That being said, China does not seek to completely align with Moscow in light of its effort to mediate the conflict’s resolution, and the cooperation is way subtler,’ he claims.
Overall, countering the sanctions and building a multipolar world suggests new economic and political strategies that must so far be kept under wraps. According to political commentator Alexander Asafov, otherwise, the US will use this information to develop countermeasures.
‘But we can assume the future cooperation vectors for the Russia–China relations. Those will involve new financial circuits outside the US control. It may also use the SCO and BRICS to create a new logistics system and new payment methods, boost sales, etc.,’ the expert explains.