Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping and Russian
President Vladimir Putin met in early February this year on the opening day of
the Beijing Winter Olympics.
The meeting could have granted an opportunity for
Xi to urge Putin to pursue diplomacy with Ukraine and de-escalate tensions
between the two countries. Instead, the Chinese regime appeared to have looked
the other way as Russia planned its advances on its neighbor.
Many have described the February 04 meeting as a show of
solidarity between the two regimes. The occasion was marked by a lengthy joint
statement in which the two countries announced a no limits partnership, in
which there were no forbidden areas of cooperation.
The 5,000-word communiqué also expressed opposition to the further
enlargement of NATO and called on the North Atlantic Alliance to abandon its
ideologized cold war approaches, to respect the sovereignty, security
and interests of other countries … and to exercise a fair and objective
attitude toward the peaceful development of other States.
Such a detailed statement clearly defined the nature
of China and Russia’s emerging relationship, retired Lt. Col. Robert
Maginnis told The Epoch Times. It is one wherein Xi and Putin are bent on
stifling the West, dismantling NATO, and creating a new world order, he said.
Less than three weeks after the Putin-Xi meeting, Russia
began its assault on Ukraine. Maginnis described the communique as a
gentlemen’s agreement behind what many would consider very much an alliance.
Putin, he added, is hopeful this newly forged alliance will help carry Russia
through its invasion.
Behind the scenes, Maginnis suspects that the Xi-Putin
rendezvous granted the “geopolitical back up and financial assurances” to
Russia to soften the economic blow from Western sanctions. That the Chinese
regime has not criticized Moscow for its attack on Ukraine could be a
sign of Beijing’s silent support, he added.
“Xi is very likely encouraged by what the West is doing—or
more appropriately, not doing,” Maginnis said. Russia has faced universal
condemnation from the West, while receiving aid from several countries.
Sanctions are also coming in from many directions in an effort to slow the
Russian regime’s unprovoked assault.
But what’s most important to the Chinese regime is the fact
that the United States is not sending troops to Ukraine, he noted.
In light of the raft of Western sanctions, Maginnis said he
suspects “Xi will help launder whatever finances that Putin, the oligarchs, and
the Russian government at large needs to keep moving forward.”
As the conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate and the
Chinese regime continues its ambitions to seize Taiwan, he said that the United
States and NATO have found themselves in a new cold war.
“Xi is seeking a new world order, as evidenced by many of
his writings and speeches,” Maginnis said. This new world order, he added, is
one that is “far more accepting of an authoritarian regime, rather than the
liberal values that formulated the world order post-World War II.”
On the heels of a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and
its handling of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, some countries are starting to
consider the United States a second-rate world power, according to Maginnis.
Some of these countries may soon be asking “Who do we want to align ourselves
with?” and “Who’s going to really run things in the future?”
Maginnis didn’t consider Putin’s behavior to be “crazy” for
invading Ukraine, but said that “Putin is pragmatic, not afraid of pulling the
trigger if it’s going to benefit him in the long-term.”
With Russia and China working alongside each other to usurp
the West, he said, “Taiwan should be greatly concerned, because it’s true of Xi
as well; he would pull the same trigger when he feels like it will benefit him
the most.”
Beijing is watching what the United States is doing in
Ukraine. One thing to watch, Maginnis said, is whether or not the United States
will transport or relocate critical assets out of the Pacific arena to Europe.
Secondly, he added that Xi is also watching the effects of the sanctions on
Russia’s ability to take on Ukraine.
America’s military presence in the Pacific, combined with
the impact of crushing economic sanctions, remains the primary concerns of the
Chinese regime as it eyes Taiwan, he said.
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