Sino/Russia Alliance on the World Stage

by Stephen Lendman

For the second time this year, China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin discussed issues vital to their countries by video link.

When last met virtually in late June, they commemorated the 20th anniversary signing of the Russian-Chinese Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

Since 2013, both leaders discussed international and bilateral issues 37 times.

They prioritize world peace, stability, cooperative relations with other nations and compliance with the rule of law.

Their worldview and policies are in stark contrast to Washington's megalomaniacal drive for hegemony, its imperial arrogance and forever war agenda, the unparalleled menace it pose to humanity.

Xi praised what he called a "new vitality in bilateral relations with Russia.

He slammed "forces in the world" that meddle in the internal affairs of both nations and others — on the phony pretext of "democracy" (abhorred by the US-dominated West) and "human rights" their ruling regimes assault with disturbing regularity at home and abroad.

Putin said "(n)o attempt to sow discord between Russia and China will ever succeed."

Both leaders praised "model" Sino/Russia relations.

They pledged continued cooperation to safeguard their core interests.

In February, they'll meet when Putin attends the opening ceremony China's Winter Olympics in Beijing — a show of unity between him and Xi as well as between both nations on the world stage.

On Wednesday by video link, they discussed their strategic partnership, bilateral trade, energy cooperation, and other important issues.

Putin called Sino/Russia relations "a sample of genuine interstate cooperation in the 21st century," adding:

Their ties are "based among other things on such principles, specifically, as non-interference in domestic affairs and respect for one another's interests, determination to turn the shared border into a belt of everlasting peace and good neighborliness." 

According to Putin aide Yuri Ushakov, ties between him and Xi extend beyond Sino/Russian relations, adding:

Xi "specifically stated that he supports Russia's demands for guarantees, that naturally he is well aware of this and understands…concerns Russia has on its western borders."

Xi pledged support for Russia on issues related to Ukraine.

"Special attention was paid to the necessity of accelerating efforts on the formation of independent financial infrastructure for servicing trading operations between Russia and China, meaning the creation of such infrastructure, which third countries could not influence," Ushakov explained, adding:

"(P)articular attention was paid to the need to intensify efforts to form an independent financial infrastructure to service trade operations between Russia and China."

"We mean creating an infrastructure that cannot be influenced by third countries."

Taking this step is in response to the Biden regime's threat to disconnect Russia from the Brussels-based SWIFT financial system.

It's based on phony claims about mobilized Russian forces along Ukraine's border with intent to invade in the coming weeks, what clearly won't happen.

Xii and Putin also said they'll increase bilateral trade in their own currencies, bypassing the dollar.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier explained that "a gradual departure from the US-centric configuration of the global monetary system" already began, adding:

Russia and other nations are taking "coordinated steps in this direction…to minimize economic damage from…restrictive measures by (US-dominated) Western countries."

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov earlier said that Moscow "need(s) to barricade (itself) against the US financial and economic system to eliminate dependence on this toxic source of permanent hostile actions." 

"We need to cut back the role of the dollar in any operations."

Last month, head of Russia's state-run oil giant Rosneft, Igor Sechin, accused Washington of manipulating the dollar to further its own interests at the expense of Russia and other nations.

Sergey Lavrov earlier stressed that Russia and China "need to move away from use of the Western-controlled international payment systems (that seeks) to limit the technological development opportunities of both" nations.

Following Wednesday's discussion between Xi and Putin, China's Global Times (GT) said the following:

US-dominated NATO regimes "intensified…threats (against) Russia and China, (falsely) portraying (both nations) as destructive forces in Ukraine and the Taiwan Straits…" 

"They…piled (on) more military and political pressure in an attempt to force China and Russia to retreat from their core national interests" — what GT called a "historic mistake of pushing (both countries) too far.

Their war by other means strengthened Sino/Russia ties in response to the threat from their ruling regimes.

According to China Institute of International Studies' Ruan Zongze:

China and Russia prioritize mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation in dealing with international challenges.

Xi and Putin agreed on the importance of rejecting hegemonic aims of any nations over others, Cold War mentality, and Washington's rules-based order — meaning its alone over international law.

The Sino/Russia alliance is a key deterrent to US rage for global dominance by whatever it takes to achieve its hegemonic aims — smashing other nations its favored strategy time and again.