On 9/11, 2024, Reuters reported on Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman’s, Maria Zakharova, statement that China and Russia could “combine our potential” if faced with a threat from the United States.
Zakharova’s belligerent posture, however, creates diplomatic opportunities that the United States should seize.
Right now, China and Russia seem to stand back-to-back, to face threats from the free world together. Turning the two regimes to face the intrinsic tensions between them can ease disruptions to supply chains in the United States and devastation of lives and property in Ukraine.
One approach could stress known and suspected tensions about Chinese and Russian expectations for the future of their relationship. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is supplying components for Russian weapons. But some PRC banks fear losing money or influence for facilitating those supplies. Vladimir Putin needs Xi Jinping’s support to stay in power, but Russians show disgust over subordinating themselves and their cultural heritage to the PRC and Chinese culture. Russians fear losing land to China.
Simply asking questions, in private diplomatic settings or through public media outlets, about how Chinese and Russians view their relationship going forward can exploit these concerns. Some possible questions include:
- What territories does Russia administer now that China would like to govern in the future?
- Does China look to Russian agricultural lands for China’s future food security?
- What do Russians think about integrating Chinese characteristics into their cultural heritage?
- At the top of the world and linking Asian and European communities, do Russians want their leaders to bow to Beijing or to borrow from Brussels?
These examples may well draw criticism that they are provocative. And it will take work, gaming and rehearsal to assure effective diplomacy. We are, however, at a point in history where not risking inquisitive aggravations of the PRC-Russia narrative may endanger our lives and livelihoods even more.
On 9/11, 2024, Reuters reported on Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman’s, Maria Zakharova, statement that China and Russia could “combine our potential” if faced with a threat from the United States.
Zakharova’s belligerent posture, however, creates diplomatic opportunities that the United States should seize.
Right now, China and Russia seem to stand back-to-back, to face threats from the free world together. Turning the two regimes to face the intrinsic tensions between them can ease disruptions to supply chains in the United States and devastation of lives and property in Ukraine.
One approach could stress known and suspected tensions about Chinese and Russian expectations for the future of their relationship. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is supplying components for Russian weapons. But some PRC banks fear losing money or influence for facilitating those supplies. Vladimir Putin needs Xi Jinping’s support to stay in power, but Russians show disgust over subordinating themselves and their cultural heritage to the PRC and Chinese culture. Russians fear losing land to China.
Simply asking questions, in private diplomatic settings or through public media outlets, about how Chinese and Russians view their relationship going forward can exploit these concerns. Some possible questions include:
These examples may well draw criticism that they are provocative. And it will take work, gaming and rehearsal to assure effective diplomacy. We are, however, at a point in history where not risking inquisitive aggravations of the PRC-Russia narrative may endanger our lives and livelihoods even more.
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