On the evening of May 16, President Xi Jinping held a small-scale meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Zhongnanhai, Beijing. Source: Xinhua News Agency
Straight News: The heads of state of China and Russia held a small-scale meeting in Zhongnanhai on Thursday evening, and yesterday (17th), it became the focus of global public opinion.
Guan Yao, Special Commentator: Sitting near the water, drinking fragrant tea together, and having in-depth exchanges on strategic issues of common concern in a relaxed atmosphere, it can be said that the small-scale meeting between the Chinese and Russian heads of state in China and Nanhai has become another landmark scene to witness the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between China and Russia in the new era, and it is also another scene of tacit interaction and deep friendship between the Chinese and Russian heads of state, and at the same time, it has also drawn an exclamation mark for the first day of President Putin's state visit.
For President Putin, the 16th can be described as the longest day: his presidential plane landed at the capital airport at 4 o'clock Beijing time, followed by a grand welcome ceremony held in the Great Hall of the People, small-scale and large-scale talks between the heads of state of China and Russia, a state banquet in the Great Hall of the People, the opening ceremony of the "Sino-Russian Cultural Year" and a special concert to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia and delivered a speech, President Putin and Premier Li Qiang of the State Council held talks, and so on. The small-scale meeting between China and Nanhai is undoubtedly another climax of Putin's first day of trip, and the footage of the talks released by CCTV has attracted great attention from foreign public opinion. A Reuters cable from Beijing on Friday said the informal meeting was the highlight of Putin's two-day state visit, and Reuters highlighted the footage of the two heads of state hugging twice as saying goodbye, describing it as "rare" and calling it rare hugs. Undoubtedly, this is the expression of the true feelings of the two heads of state, and it is the most touching emotional moment in the diplomacy of the high level of foreign affairs. Obviously, the Chinese and Russian heads of state enjoy and cherish this kind of face-to-face communication, the Chinese head of state said that we have had many meetings over the years, and each exchange has been frank, in-depth and fruitful, and President Putin also said that every time I meet with President Xi Jinping, it is very pleasant, and our exchanges are very in-depth and meaningful. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is accompanying President Putin on his visit to China, stressed to reporters in Beijing that it is no exaggeration to say that head-of-state diplomacy is the core element of Sino-Russian relations and strategic interaction. The small-scale meeting between China and Nanhai is undoubtedly the highlight of this core element.
In the larger context of time and space, this kind of informal meeting scene without tie or etiquette and one-on-one in-depth exchanges between heads of state is increasingly appearing, and has become an important feature of China's all-round major-country diplomacy. Just in the valley of the French Pyrenees, the heads of state of China and France tasted ham and red wine without ties, and the year before in the pine garden of Guangzhou, when the Chinese heads of state were drinking tea and enjoying music, they especially talked to the French president about the history of Guangzhou as the source of China's democracy and the vanguard of reform and opening up, stressing that in order to understand today's China, it is necessary to start by understanding China's history. Therefore, in my opinion, this kind of informal meeting between heads of state is often more in-depth, thorough and enjoyable in the beautiful scenery and life scenes, and it is also easier to stimulate the "chemical reaction" between the leaders. Of course, this is also inseparable from the personal efforts, vigorous promotion and careful design of the Chinese head of state.
Straight News: Regarding the joint statement between China and Russia on deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era, overseas public opinion has also paid attention to the many expressions condemning the US actions, what is your analysis on this?
Guan Yao: In an interview with Xinhua News Agency reporters before his visit to China, President Putin praised Russia-China relations for being at the best stage in history, and the Chinese head of state also spoke highly of China-Russia relations as a global model of a new type of international relations and relations between neighboring major countries during his meeting with President Putin on 16 July. The comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era can be described as the highest-level diplomatic relationship positioning of China's all-round major-country diplomacy. The 12,000-word joint declaration provides a comprehensive answer to this question. To truly understand the depth, breadth and height of the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era, we must read this joint declaration thoroughly. After reading it, you will understand why Putin has to bring over most of the cabinet during his visit to China, involving the new and old defense ministers and the six deputy prime ministers, because these principal officials of the Russian side have tasks to discuss and have corresponding topics to discuss. For example, the joint declaration explicitly mentioned that China and Russia are interested in jointly developing Heishizi Island and holding constructive dialogue on the issue of the Tumen River estuary, and so on.
In view of this, the important signal conveyed by the foreign-related part of this joint statement also deserves the attention of the outside world, especially the US side. According to media statistics, the joint statement mentions the United States 13 times, stressing that it is seriously concerned about the United States' attempt to undermine strategic stability in order to maintain its absolute military superiority, and that the United States has taken action to deploy land-based intermediate-range missile systems in the Asia-Pacific region under the pretext of conducting joint exercises with its allies that are clearly aimed at China and Russia. As everyone knows, the US Army has just delivered the "Typhon" system that launches "Tomahawk" cruise missiles to the Philippines in the name of military exercises. On the 17th, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, also responded at a press conference that the US move has seriously damaged China's strategic security, seriously threatened regional national security, and seriously undermined regional peace and stability. The relevant statements in the joint statement mean that China and Russia have reached a consensus on this issue and resolutely oppose the strategic squeeze and security provocations of the United States. The joint statement named the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy and NATO's destructive moves in the Asia-Pacific region, which have a negative impact on regional peace and stability, and named the consequences of the trilateral security partnership between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, known as AUKUS, on strategic stability in the Asia-Pacific region, stressing that China and Russia are gravely concerned. In view of the fact that the US has recently frequently hyped up the issue of the so-called "AUKUS" expansion and encouraged Japan, New Zealand and other countries to follow suit, this is undoubtedly a clear warning to relevant countries in coordinating the position of China and Russia.
The declaration characterizes the above-mentioned actions of the US side in the harshest terms: they are extremely destabilizing in the region and pose a direct security threat to China and Russia. Of course, the consensus reached by China and Russia on this issue is also unequivocal: it is strongly condemned that China and Russia will strengthen coordination and cooperation to deal with the so-called "double containment" policy of the United States against China and Russia, which is not constructive and hostile.
It is not difficult to foresee that this kind of squeezing and counter-squeezing, containment and counter-containment between major powers is bound to profoundly affect and shape the regional strategic environment, and this will be a great strategic theme of the times.
Straight News: Regarding President Putin's state visit, the spokesperson of the US State Department went so far as to throw out the so-called theory that you cannot have both fish and bear's paws. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin replied that the US should not try to wedge the gap between China and the EU.
Guan Yao: This is not the first time that the US has done this, and this is by no means the first so-called wedge that the US wants to play. Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Italy made a statement that China cannot hope to establish ties with Europe and other countries while continuing to exacerbate the so-called biggest threat to European security for a long time, that is, to maintain China-Russia relations. But Blinken's remarks were addressed to Europeans in response to the upcoming visit of the Chinese head of state to the three European countries. Now Blinken's rebuke has been thoughtlessly copied by his spokesman, but the target of the call has been changed from Europe to China.
Wang Wenbin responded on the 17th that the logic of the US side is black and white, and it is an attitude of seeking enemies rather than seeking peace, and in my opinion, the essence of the logic of the US side is to coerce to choose sides and engage in so-called bloc confrontation. Therefore, in response to the visit of the Chinese head of state to Europe, the United States wants to play a so-called wedge between China and Europe, and in response to the visit of the Russian head of state to China, the United States wants to play a wedge between China and Russia. If it works, French President Emmanuel Macron will repeatedly warn that Europe cannot be a vassal of the United States if it wants strategic autonomy? Blinken said in Munich that if you are not at the table, you will be on the plate, and the naked and undisguised jungle survival logic of the United States can be seen clearly by Europeans and the whole world.
Author丨Guan Yao, special commentator of Shenzhen Satellite TV's "Live Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan".