In this turbulent world, only Sino-Russian relations seem to be in full swing. At a time when global tensions continue to escalate, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's surprise visit to Beijing has raised doubts about the future direction of relations between the two countries.
What does this visit mean? Is China and Russia going to join forces to contain the West? Or is there a deeper diplomatic arrangement? Let us explore the reasons for this. On April 8-9, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov paid a two-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. On the surface, this is just a routine external visit.
However, in view of the current background of the continuous deterioration of relations between China and Russia and Western countries, Lavrov's sudden planting of the flag in Beijing has naturally aroused great concern and various speculations from the outside world. Some analysts believe that the visit is likely to be aimed at discussing further cooperation between China and Russia in response to Western pressure.
In recent years, the United States and Europe have frequently imposed sanctions and suppressed the two countries, from the Ukraine crisis to the situation in the Taiwan Strait, and the spearhead has been directly aimed at China and Russia. Therefore, in the face of the common situation of Western containment and isolation, the two countries have strengthened strategic coordination and exerted counter-sanctions pressure on the West, which is nothing less than a forced self-protection measure.
However, some scholars have put forward another view. They believe that the core issue of Lavrov's visit is not actually aimed at the West, but to coordinate the distribution of interests between China and Russia in Central Asia, the Far East and other traditional spheres of influence.
In recent years, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has continued to advance in these regions, which has objectively affected and impacted Russia's traditional power structure in the region to a certain extent. Therefore, the Russian side hopes to reach a consensus on the bottom line of the interests of the two countries in these regions through consultation and coordination with the Chinese side.
"Although China and Russia are close allies, the convergence of interests between the two countries is not complete. For example, in Central Asia, there are some conflicts of interest and differences between China and Russia, which need to be properly resolved through dialogue. This was stated by an unnamed Russian expert.
In addition to these two views, some of the more radical comments have fantasized that perhaps this is just a prelude to a brewing alliance between China and Russia against the Western world, but most analysts do not support this "extreme statement" based on practical considerations. After all, no matter how close they are, there are still some practical differences and differences of interest between China and Russia.
The current close relationship between the two countries has been able to be maintained more out of the need to hedge against Western pressure than by extreme ideologies. Once China and Russia really form a close military alliance, it will undoubtedly intensify confrontation and conflict with the Western world, which is obviously contrary to the strategic intention of the two countries to ease the regional situation.
However, regardless of the actual purpose of Lavrov's trip, it is at least certain that in the current international environment, Sino-Russian relations are indeed continuing to get closer. This strategic affinity is both a necessity and a natural consequence.
"In this world, both China and Russia are 'no friends, only interests'. We are close not because of ideological identity, but because of pragmatic interests. This is how a Chinese scholar summed up the current state of Sino-Russian relations.
Overall, Lavrov's visit to Beijing is a signal that the pace of strategic cooperation between China and Russia will not stop even in the face of many obstacles. Although the specific interests of the two sides may differ, the relationship between the two countries is expected to continue to warm and grow based on the basic need to jointly respond to Western pressure.
At the same time, however, it should also be noted that China and Russia do not actually want to develop their relations to an extreme level of confrontation. After all, escalating friction is a dilemma for both sides. Therefore, it can be expected that in the coming period, Sino-Russian relations will maintain a basic pattern that is both intimate and prudent, seeking a balance between safeguarding their own interests and avoiding the intensification of confrontation.
(Disclaimer) The plots and pictures depicted in this article are from the Internet, and their purpose is to promote positive social energy, and there is no vulgarity and other bad guidance. If there is any copyright or personal rights issue, please contact us immediately, we will delete the relevant content as soon as possible! It is only published on the headline account, and other platforms are all portable.