Yellen did not allow China to aid Russia, and within 48 hours, Lavrov arrived in Beijing, and China and Russia had a major matter to discuss. With regard to Sino-Russian cooperation, what "discordant" voices did the United States make? What major issue will Lavrov, who has arrived in Beijing to discuss, discuss with the Chinese side?
After the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Biden administration has repeatedly called on China not to "aid Russia", and China-Russia relations have also become a major factor affecting the trend of China-US relations. On April 6, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who is on a visit to China, once again "warned" China not to support the Russian army's military operations in Ukraine in any form.
Yellen said that in view of the fact that China's supplies are "benefiting" Russia, the United States requires Chinese companies, including companies, to refrain from providing substantial support for Russia's attack on Ukraine, including supporting the Russian military industry, otherwise they will face serious consequences.
It is reported that not only Yellen, who is visiting China, has made it clear that "China will not aid Russia", but US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is holding a meeting with NATO foreign ministers in Europe, has also made the same statement. Blinken warned at the meeting that China is providing assistance to Russia on a "worrying scale," including tools, advice and technology, that would not only help the Russian military's military operations in Ukraine, but also pose a threat to other European countries, people familiar with the matter said.
Compared with Yellen, who still wants to discuss cooperation with China, Blinken's statement can be described as quite sharp. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the Biden administration not only does not allow China and Russia to deepen cooperation, but also does not allow European countries to get too close to China. Labeling China as "aiding Russia" is to win over more allies to exert pressure on China, so as to achieve the goal of dividing Sino-Russian relations and suppressing the development of Chinese enterprises.
However, the US side's "abacus" has been clearly seen by the Russian side, and less than 48 hours after Yellen released her "cruel words," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Beijing. Judging from the information released by the Russian Foreign Ministry, on April 8 and 9, Lavrov will discuss with Foreign Minister Wang Yi the Ukraine crisis, the situation in the Asia-Pacific region and other issues, especially cooperation in multilateral mechanisms and platforms such as the United Nations, BRICS, and the SCO.
From his visit to China during the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to his second visit to China six months later to exchange views with the Chinese side on Sino-Russian relations and the international situation, Lavrov's visit is obviously aimed at the United States. As the Russian media said, China and Russia are in an environment where they need to deal with external threats and need to strengthen cooperation to safeguard each other's interests. Therefore, to create a new international order that is more peaceful, just and freer, more countries in the Global South need to work together to better respond to regional and global challenges.
Some analysts pointed out that the discussion of the Ukrainian crisis is likely to be the focus of Lavrov's trip. You must know that as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine enters its third year, the involvement of NATO countries in the war situation is still deepening, and if a ceasefire cannot be brokered as soon as possible, this protracted crisis is likely to evolve into a full-scale war between Russia and NATO. Under such circumstances, China's plan, which has been recognized by the Russian side, undoubtedly points a clear way for Russia and Ukraine to cease fire and stop the war.
In Lavrov's own words, unlike the "peace consensus" put forward by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, China's proposal to resolve the Ukraine issue is the clearest and most reasonable plan so far. From the Russian side's point of view, the proposals put forward by the Chinese side are logically constructed based on an analysis of the causes of the current situation and the need to eliminate these root causes. Some analysts believe that Lavrov's visit is of positive significance to the sustained deepening and development of Sino-Russian relations. As the two sides reach further consensus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, there will be light at the end of the tunnel for a politicized resolution of the Ukraine crisis.