China – Russia: When Are Emotions Appropriate?

In: Mirovaja ėkonomika i meždunarodnye otnošenija: MĖMO, Heft 2, S. 5-13

Abstract

The article discusses the conditions under which the Russian "turn to the East" is implemented. It emphasizes that the basis for the "turn" is the Russian-Chinese relations. However, there is a number of intense changes in the foreign policy of China itself as long as it becomes a primary tool for supporting economic growth. The main characteristics of the emerging concept of China's foreign policy are: raise of military power of China, "investment attack" on emerging markets, consolidation of regional "zones of new influence of China", development of the "new type" relations with the US. These features make the behavior of China in defense of their own interests more aggressive (including relations with Russia). Therefore, Russian innovation in the field of geo-economic strategy must be adapted to the new elements of Chinese foreign policy. Despite the status of a "strategic partnership" a number of problems have developed between China and Russia in recent years. These include, mainly, lack of trust because of the unwillingness to provide to each other full political and military-political support and non-optimal consideration of the United States factor in relations between Russia and China. This presupposes the partial "strategic partnership" only. However, the "new interest" of China in Russia is becoming more urgent since China uses Russian "turn to the East" for its own strategic purposes. It is impossible not to see that China refused to support Western sanctions not due to political solidarity with Russia but due to the Chinese business interests' protection. China is developing plans of entering into those sectors and niches of the Russian economy, which are released as a result of leaving or "non-arrival" of the Western capital. The "turn to the East" strategy (which means the "turn to China") can soften the internal losses of Russia from the "war of sanctions" with the West, but will not replace the Russian-American cooperation in the sphere of strategic stability, nuclear nonproliferation, space, terrorism, and climate change.