China is willing to participate in international platforms where opinions are exchanged on various aspects of the current stage of the Big World Game. For, as we have said, “Comrade Mauser” will remain silent as long as the lines of communication between the key participants, through which certain signals are transmitted, are not closed. Which, with its current power, is crucial.
The hypothesis that propaganda fighters may use “tactical nukes” with impunity on certain players is dubious. However, this hypothesis is not responsible for anything. The player in question is annoying, but not among the most significant ones. In the hope that the “big brother” behind him would not react “appropriately” at the cost of his reputation.
A hypothesis that is controversial and may not be confirmed or denied if put into practice. This conclusion was reached 50 years ago by proponents of applying the Conflict Escalation Theory to the case of Limited Nuclear War. Afterward, the politicians, who were very responsible at that time, initiated negotiation processes to eliminate the possibility of practical verification of such dangerous “theories”.
Such adventurous strategies are not characteristic of China’s ancient culture. Today’s PRC is the integral successor of that culture. The country’s leadership actively seeks opportunities to engage in dialogue on international platforms with any partners, including geopolitical opponents. At the same time, the views of all parties are considered, including those that may not be favorable. Additionally, each party is given the opportunity to provide their own perspective on the issue at hand and propose potential solutions.
One example of such a venue is the Davos Forum, which has recently been the target of negative criticism for unknown reasons. While we appreciate the efforts of the organizers in keeping this platform operational, it is important to note that it attracts not only a diverse range of individuals but also prominent politicians.
In the author’s opinion, the most notable event during the entire existence of the Davos Forum was the appearance of Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Forum in January 2017 who made a political statement about the readiness of the emerging second world power to take up the banner of economic globalization from the aging hegemon represented by the United States. Even then, it clearly identified inner problems with serious consequences, which today are almost catastrophic.
Essentially, this speech expanded on his previously proposed idea of creating a “Community of Common Destiny” worldwide. The “economic branch” of this concept is the Belt and Road Initiative project. Both the concept and the draft also provide for openness. This is one of the pillars of state-building in the Chinese Communist Party’s guiding documents. The primary geopolitical opponent’s latest approach (which demands crucial allies to do the same) is reduced to attempts to “shut down” China. As they say, “I can no longer carry the banner of economic globalization myself, but I will not pass it on to others either.”
During the annual meeting in Davos Forum held in mid-January of this year, the current Prime Minister of PRC, Li Qiang, focused on the categories of “globalization” and “openness” in his speech. Incidentally, the appearance of the second person in the Chinese leadership on the European continent came only six months after his previous trip, which took place almost immediately after he took office.
As usual for these events, the venue hosted a series of bilateral meetings. During these meetings, various long-standing and complex issues in the PRC’s relations with the EU were discussed. It should be noted once again that not all of them are due to the notorious “American pressure”, because since the second half of the last decade Europe has been concerned about the possible “takeover” of technologically advanced industrial companies by China. Indeed, as it turns out, the trouble with this plan came from the least expected source, the same closest ally.
Strangely, but against this backdrop, the EU continues to “follow in the footsteps” of the latter with an incomprehensible persistence, almost continuously introducing various kinds of restrictions on the operation of Chinese companies in Europe under various pretexts. As well as their own companies in the territory of the People’s Republic of China. It has been possible to put the squeeze on VW and BASF so that both of these German industrial giants are winding down their long-standing and very profitable business in China. Under the pretext of using “forced labor” of Uyghurs. The Global Times proved the countproductive nature of the EU’s actions by using specific examples, illustrations, and being as precise as usual.
By the way, this image is very suitable for identifying the absurdity that has also appeared in Russian-European relations. The apotheosis of the general process of “club hitting” the European economy was the undermining of Nord Stream. This absurdity is essentially due to the incorporation of blatant agents of American neoconservatives into the leadership of the EU and leading European countries. However, they themselves hold a particularly strong anti-American sentiment.
Under these circumstances, China is demonstrating its corporate patience, not giving up hope that the not very smart European “pale-faced brothers” will finally see where their benefits are. The Global Times specifically views Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s trip to Europe, which occurred a month later, as another indication to Brussels that Beijing is taking a more active initiative in stabilizing ties.
It should be noted that formally the main purpose of this trip was to participate in the work of another forum, namely the annual 60th Munich Security Conference (MSC). After which Wang Yi went to visit Spain and France.
During the MSC’s special “Conversation with China” session, the speaker highlighted several key points. First, it was noted that, contrary to unfavorable forecasts, the PRC’s economy will grow by 5.2% in 2023, continuing to serve as one of the main engines of the entire global economic organization. Secondly, developing trade and economic relations with China remains highly attractive to foreign businesses. Attempts to “shut out” the Chinese economy as part of the “de-risking” campaign launched by the United States may prove to be a stumbling block. Finally, refutations were made regarding insinuations of “forced labor” among the Uyghurs.
During the event in Munich, Wang Yi met with colleagues from several prominent Western countries. Among them was a meeting with David Cameron, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, who served as Prime Minister at the beginning of the last decade. During the Chinese leader’s 2015 state visit to the UK, he is credited with the phrase “the golden age of Sino-British relations is now.” The official photo conveys the atmosphere of the talks’ host at the time.
But the optimism of the past is nowhere to be found. Years take a toll on individuals, and now David Cameron speaks of the “delusions of (political) youth” when reminded of statements made a decade ago. However, it is unlikely that London’s East Asia policy will change significantly now that Cameron’s successor as Prime Minister has initiated the process of restoring the United Kingdom’s ties with Japan.
Meanwhile Chinese leader Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit France during his upcoming trip to Europe. While the chancellor of the other leading country on the continent, Olaf Scholz, is scheduled to travel to the People’s Republic of China again, where he visited just over a year ago.
There is no doubt that the visits to Europe by the Chinese statesmen discussed here paved the way for the leader’s trip to France and the German Chancellor’s trip to China.
The very fact of this latest (planned) trip is further evidence of serious disagreements both within the current coalition government of the Federal Republic of Germany and its head with the Brussels bureaucracy, which seems to have taken on too much.
Under these conditions, the author has no doubt that the current mess in Russia’s relations with Europe as a whole, as well as with its individual leading countries, will pass. And Willy Brandt & Egon Bahr’s “Eastern Policy” will recover. Bilateral ties will be restored, bypassing the artificially created parasitic boils in the eastern part of the continent. The President of the Russian Federation recently made a similar statement.
The current Federal Republic of Germany should be aware that the paranoid propaganda in German by those who claim to fight against Nazism-Fascism and study the genealogy of modern politicians and their ancestors, while also brandishing nuclear weapons, has no relation to Russia’s actual attitude towards this country.
Vladimir Terekhov, expert on the issues of the Asia-Pacific region, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”