SCMP: China and Russia forge deeper ties thanks to their common enemy: the United States
* Inauguration of a new US$55 billion gas pipeline this week helps cement increasingly close Beijing-Moscow ties that are moving beyond economics into security
* Many observers say the two countries’ growing security cooperation may evolve into something closer to a military alliance
On Monday, Russia turned on the taps on for a US$55 billion pipeline that will pump natural gas to the energy-hungry Chinese market – the latest step in the “new era” of increasingly close ties between the two countries.
Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin marked the occasion by getting together via video link and exchanging the usual pleasantries. But beyond the warmth and talk of expanding cross-border business, the two countries are being driven together by a common enemy: the United States.
For that reason, relations are expanding beyond broader economic ties to deeper security cooperation, and analysts say that may eventually develop into some form of military alliance.
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WNU Editor: I hate it when columnists use the word "enemy" in describing the current state of U.S. - Russia/China relations. The better word is "competitor" and/or "customer". China is a big customer for Russia's resources and military tech, and both sides are grateful for this business. As for their military cooperation .... it stems more from their concerns on what is happening in Asia (war in Afghanistan, India - Pakistan tensions, Islamic terrorism, North Korea, border disputes, etc.) than what the U.S. is doing. That is not to say that there are some tensions with the U.S.. There are after-all a number of current geopolitical competitions between Russia/China and the U.S.. The U.S. is bolstering it alliances with its allies in Asia, much to the chagrin of Beijing. And Russia is concerned about NATO's buildup at its borders. But this talk about a grand China - Russia military/security alliance to counter the U.S. has been around for decades. And in my opinion it is not going to happen. Russia's political and cultural focus is on the West, and it will be for the next few centuries. As for the East, that is where Russia's economic focus will be, especially when it comes to selling resources. As for the Chinese. They are competing economically with the U.S. for a share of global trade and markets. Disputes over companies like Huawei is just a taste on what is going to happen. But these economic conflicts are not going to push Russia and China to form a deeper alliance.
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