The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the Chinese Premier, Xi Jinping, have signed today a bunch of agreements and a joint declaration that surely provides the Russian Federation a better foothold to face US-EU pressures derived from the Ukrainian crisis.
But the agreements and joint declaration signed by Russia and the PRC today go far beyond the Ukrainian issue, in fact they are setting the basement for an alliance (an extrange alliance I must say attending to the ancient mistrust between both giants) rooted in their own capitalist-comunism approach and both countrie’s current geo political interests.
Rising bilateral trade from the $140Bn to $200Bn and even beyond
“As you have already noted, our bilateral trade has reached $140Bn,”said Vladimir Putin (President of the Russian federation), ” We are moving steadily towards our goal, namely, reaching $200Bn in mutual trade. I am confident that we will certainly attain this level.”
On his side Xi Jinping (Premier of the PRC) underscored:” We regard this as a very good sign in China: the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, the beginning of the Spring Festival [according to the Lunar calendar], and today’s meeting with you. We are confident that this personal meeting will add more energy and vigour to relations between our countries.
Our mutual trade exceeded US$140 billion last year, thereby reaching a new historic high. Our countries are actively contributing to the reform of the global governance system.
We are working together to promote a truly multilateral world order. Efforts to uphold the real democratic spirit are a reliable foundation for rallying the world towards overcoming crises and protecting equality.
We will keep moving towards this, and we will continue working together with you to map out plans for the further development of Chinese-Russian relations in a new historical period, trying to transform mutual trust between our countries into practical cooperation to the benefit of our peoples.”
An actual declaration not only on trade and economical cooperation but also a clear adoption, many would say distortion of the “democratic” label just inside the strict embrace of the new capitalist economy in the comunist way.
A joint position voiced up loud and clear today by Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, while many countries such as the USA and some others specially from Europe have refused to send political delegations to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 by the flagrant violations of human rights by the Chinese Comunist Government upon its own nationals.
China secures energy supply and Russia tech components from a strategical ally
“Nor do we forget about traditional areas. In the run-up to our current meeting, our oil workers have drafted good new solutions regarding hydrocarbon deliveries to the People’s Republic of China. We have made another step forwards in the gas sector. I am referring to the new contract to deliver ten billion cubic metres of gas from Russia’s Far East to China every year. I repeat, we are making headway in high-tech fields,” Putin remarked today.
But the package of documents that have been adopted within the framework of Putin’s visit to Xi Jinping go far and deep in may fields.
They include an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in anti-monopoly legislation and competitive policy and several other interdepartmental documents, such as the agreement on cooperation in ensuring compatibility and interoperability of GLONASS and BeiDou navigation satellite systems in terms of the system time scales.
They include as well a joint statement on the completion of a roadmap for high-quality development of Russian-Chinese trade in goods and services; and a plan of consultations between the foreign ministries of Russia and China in 2022.
In addition to that, the sides have signed a memorandum of understanding between the Russian Economic Development Ministry and the Chinese Ministry of Commerce to promote investment cooperation in sustainable (green) development, and a joint statement between the relevant ministries on holding the Russian and Chinese years of cooperation in physical education and sports in 2022–2023.
The commercial contracts signed are related to the purchase and sale of natural gas via the Far Eastern route, and the purchase and sale of crude oil for delivery to oil refineries in Western China.
Other documents rubricated include a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of low carbon development between Rosneft and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), and an agreement on cooperation in the field of information development and digitalisation between Rosneft and Huawei Technologies for the period to 2027.
Leaving aside the energy contracts, the cooperation and supply agreements on the IT and tech components fields are specially interesting for both parties given the bans imposed to Chinese tech suppliers like Huawei by the USA and an eventual cut in tech components supply to Russia by UE countries and the USA if the Russian Federation takes any military action against Ukraine or finally invades this country.
An Eurasian partnership that will counterbalance the Western-Atlantic partnership
Going further the joint declaration states that “…The sides reaffirm their focus on building the Greater Eurasian Partnership in parallel and in coordination with the Belt and Road construction to foster the development of regional associations as well as bilateral and multilateral integration processes for the benefit of the peoples on the Eurasian continent.”
Russia would support PRC’sannexion of taiwan: “The Russian side reaffirms its support for the One-China principle, confirms that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and opposes any forms of independence of Taiwan.”
Going beyond again, “Russia and China stand against attempts by external forces to undermine security and stability in their common adjacent regions, intend to counter interference by outside forces in the internal affairs of sovereign countries under any pretext, oppose colour revolutions, and will increase cooperation in the aforementioned areas,”…”The sides oppose politicization of the issues of combating terrorism and their use as instruments of policy of double standards, condemn the practice of interference in the internal affairs of other States for geopolitical purposes through the use of terrorist and extremist groups as well as under the guise of combating international terrorism and extremism,” the joint declaration establishes.
Russia and China start off a clear alliance against NATO and US conventional weapons deployment both in Europe and Asia
The sides believe that certain States, military and political alliances and coalitions seek to obtain, directly or indirectly, unilateral military advantages to the detriment of the security of others, including by employing unfair competition practices, intensify geopolitical rivalry, fuel antagonism and confrontation, and seriously undermine the international security order and global strategic stability. The sides oppose further enlargement of NATO and call on the North Atlantic Alliance to abandon its ideologized cold war approaches, to respect the sovereignty, security and interests of other countries, the diversity of their civilizational, cultural and historical backgrounds, and to exercise a fair and objective attitude towards the peaceful development of other States.
China aligns with Russia in the Central-Europe and Ukrainian issue: “The sides believe that the U.S. withdrawal from the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, the acceleration of research and the development of intermediate-range and shorter-range ground-based missiles and the desire to deploy them in the Asia-Pacific and European regions, as well as their transfer to the allies, entail an increase in tension and distrust, increase risks to international and regional security, lead to the weakening of international non-proliferation and arms control system, undermining global strategic stability. The sided call on the United States to respond positively to the Russian initiative and abandon its plans to deploy intermediate-range and shorter-range ground-based missiles in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. The sides will continue to maintain contacts and strengthen coordination on this issue.
The Chinese side is sympathetic to and supports the proposals put forward by the Russian Federation to create long-term legally binding security guarantees in Europe.”
Russia and China adopt a joint position against the AUKUS
“The sides are seriously concerned about the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom (AUKUS), which provides for deeper cooperation between its members in areas involving strategic stability, in particular their decision to initiate cooperation in the field of nuclear-powered submarines. Russia and China believe that such actions are contrary to the objectives of security and sustainable development of the Asia-Pacific region, increase the danger of an arms race in the region, and pose serious risks of nuclear proliferation. The sides strongly condemn such moves and call on AUKUS participants to fulfil their nuclear and missile non-proliferation commitments in good faith and to work together to safeguard peace, stability, and development in the region,” The joint statement issued by Russia and China today says.
There are other remarkable joint position statements on different fields, such as non proliferation of bacteriological weapons, not using the space for military purpposes, fake news and using IT for disinformation purposes, use of drones and the so called highly targeted actions using high tech weapons. But the important thing to watch here is how the Ukrainian issue and EU and NATO welcoming approach to east European and former comunist European States is favoring and speeding Russia’s approach to Asia and specifically to the PRC.
Image over the headline.- Vladimir Putin (President of the Russian federation) and Xi Jinping meet in Beijing on the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games 2022 on 4th February 2022.© Cabinet of the President of The Russian Federation.
Related Eastwind links:
Russia-China talks on 4th February 2022 (joint statement)
Transcript of the press conference offered by Sergey Lavrov (Minister of Foreign Affairs of te Russian federation) last 1st February 2022 on Russia’s position once read Blinken’s written answer sent to the Russian Government on 26th January 2022 after the Geneva meeting between Lavrov and the Secretary of State of the USA, Anthony Blinken, click here
Letter sent by Sergey Lavrov to the USA, NATO, Canada and some European Countries on 1st January 2022 including Rusia’s views on Blinken answer to Russian proposals to solve tensions in Ukraine and Central Europe, click here
The Ukrainian crisis.- Calling Russia to dialogue while showing the economic and troops’ fangs
Related external links:
To read the English translation of Lavrov’s answers and the questions of the press, click here
