Russian President Vladimir Putin met the Chinese defense minister Li Shangfu, in the latest bid to foreground their “ no limits” partnership in the thick of a geopolitical tensions , ushering in a new world order.
In a new world order that is on the anvil, post Russia- Ukraine crisis, Vladimir Putin met the Chinese defence minister on Sunday to review the military cooperation among other things between the two countries. This visit comes within a month when Xi Jinping visited Moscow, on a three-day visit, thereby this new development underscores the “iron-strong” cooperation between Beijing and Moscow.
New Geopolitical Order?
Since the advent of the Russia – the Ukraine Crisis in February 2022, China has refused to toe the line of the Western countries led by the United States Of America. On the other hand, China puts the blame on NATO and USA for provoking Russia through untenable means. When Moscow sent its troops in Ukraine, countries expresses strong disapproval to the unprecedented step. however, China on various occasions at the United Nations has either abstained or
From the Chinese side, Li stated to continue to diversify and augment the multilateral cooperation between the two sides. Also, this marks a fresh attempt from China to assert its dominance and rise in the world and diminish the credibility of the Western alliance.
Recently Russian weapons used in warfare, containing a plethora of Chinese components, are also on a rise as per the reports by the Ukraine side. This is in contradiction to the Chinese statements issued on the denial of sending military aid to Russia in the war.
China’s Stand
As per the official stance of the nation, it remains neutral in the Ukraine conflict. However, China has time and again put the ball in the court of the USA and Western countries to stop assisting Ukraine by providing military assistance and accusing them of escalating the hostilities.
From the Russian side as well, it is asserted that both sides are working to maintain global and regional stability and eschew the world order with the hegemony of a single country.
As per Russian TV, Putin praised the progress of the two countries in diverse domains ranging from military to political to economic spectrum. Li stated that both the Russian and Chinese partnership has “already entered a new era”
Western outlook on the cooperation
As per the vantage point of the West, they see Russia as the aggressor and any assistance from China will bolster Russia to further aggrandise its hostilities. Recently when XI, visited Moscow, he unveiled the 12-point plan, however, the USA and Western countries rejected the peace proposal claiming it to be non-objective.
Lately, a slew of Western leaders visited China, including Emmanuel Macron to seek China’s assistance to end the conflict and stop its aid in any manner.
Long term ramifications
Russia and China both have doubled down on their cooperation in terms of trade, military, political and technical cooperation. In the current world order the trend is of multilateral cooperation and the tensions between the western alliance led by USA with the new found friendship between China and Russia is not propitious for the global order. For India, it does open apprehensions on the progress of the relations between the two sides and thus opens a window for China to accelerate its hegemony and dominance in the Indo- Pacific region.
How do things pan out and what are the repercussions of this long-standing partnership between China and Russia for events of the future to tell?
