Russia and China have announced plans to explore enhancing their security collaboration in both Asia and Europe. This comes as they aim to challenge the United States’ efforts to dominate the region, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
In previous times, there was a dominant Euro-Atlantic security system, represented by NATO and the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), as mentioned by Lavrov during his discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.
However, these were not “arenas for engaging in substantial discussions and reaching a consensus based on a fair distribution of interests.” As the Russian conflict in Ukraine persists, Lavrov stated that Moscow and Beijing have decided to “initiate a conversation with the participation of our other like-minded individuals on this matter.”
The United States considers China its primary competitor and Russia its most significant threat.
These two nations share concerns about the expanding US impact on Europe and the rising strength of NATO, along with what they call individual sanctions affecting both sides. Consequently, Russia and China emerge as compatible allies.
During a post-meeting news conference, Wang avoided directly referring to the US, NATO, or the Ukraine war. Instead, he emphasized that China and Russia should unite against “hegemonism and power politics,” and resist the control of international affairs by a select few countries, promoting the values of “fairness and justice” between the two nations.
‘Unlawful sanctions’
Lavrov also criticized the “illegal sanctions” enforced by the West on Russia and other nations, stating that this policy is now being increasingly applied towards China as well. Wang informed Lavrov that China “will support Russia’s steady growth under the guidance of Putin,” as reported by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, their relationship with China has strengthened. During a previous summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that their partnership was “entering a new era.”
Although China claims neutrality in the Ukraine crisis, it has faced criticism for not condemning Russia’s aggressive actions. Coinciding with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s two-day official visit to China is also being seen as a prelude to President Putin’s anticipated trip to Beijing in May. This visit might mark Putin’s first overseas journey since his re-election victory.
