Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Chinese state media’s alignment with Russia’s rhetoric further solidifies the nascent alliance between the two authoritarian regimes, hinting at a consequential geopolitical shift. As Western nations pull back, China steps in to reinforce its economic partnership with Russia, leveraging the opportunity to gain strategic advantages.
The War Bonds Russia and China Together
Western companies have withdrawn from Russia, benefiting China. The war in Ukraine is forging closer ties between the two autocratic systems. However, it is not a partnership on equal terms.
Chinese state television reported on Tuesday in its main news broadcast that Russia had found US-made chemical weapons in Ukraine – a Russian general was featured, and army charts in Russian were shown to prove this.
Chinese state media adopt the narratives of the aggressor in the Ukraine war without questioning or contextualizing them. This is neither an isolated case nor a surprise.
“A Lifesaver for Russia”
The relationship between the two autocratically ruled states has grown closer over the past two years, according to Alexander Gabuev. The head of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, a think tank based in Berlin, has been studying Chinese-Russian relations for years.
Cheap Energy for China
Trade between the two neighboring countries has significantly increased in the two years since the start of the war. Democratically ruled states have imposed sanctions on Russia. Companies from Europe, the USA, and Japan have withdrawn from the Russian market.
China has stepped in to fill this void, supplying everything Russia needs: cars, smartphones, everyday goods. Russia predominantly provides cheap energy to China. Last year, the country was China’s top supplier of crude oil.
Presenting Itself as a Peace Power
The People’s Republic economically benefits from the war but still tries to present itself as a peace power, selling its good relations with the aggressor Russia as normal.
At the Munich Security Conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized, “China’s relations with Russia are based on the principles of no alliance, no confrontation, and leaving others in peace. It is a normal relationship between two major countries. We reject any attempt to blame China or shift the responsibility for resolving the Ukraine crisis to China.”
His country has done a lot of “constructive work” and will continue to play a positive role.
Brothers in the System Conflict
To this day, the communist leadership has not called the war in Ukraine an unlawful invasion, not even referring to it as a war.
A vaguely worded Chinese position paper on resolving the Ukraine conflict last year brought no progress. This is a clear calculation, according to Gabuev: “China declares itself neutral regarding the war. While not providing weapons to Russia, it supplies certain components crucial for weapon production. It unequivocally benefits from Russia’s dependence on China. At the same time, the country advocates for peace and peace talks.”
When it comes to peace talks, China does not go so far as to demand a complete Russian withdrawal or criminal prosecution of Putin.
Above all, China has no interest in harming Russia and can therefore live with the war. The communist state and party leadership need Russia in the global system conflict with the USA.