A year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s suddenly increased role in the European conflict is at the center of scrutiny. For now, the result is a rapid deterioration of relations between Washington and Beijing, in which war looks like just another episode.
The annual meeting of the National People’s Congress, a key date in the Chinese Communist Party’s political calendar, comes at a time when the strategic rivalry between China and the United States appears to be intensifying on many levels. Since the beginning of the year, the differences between the two powers have been on many fronts.
The most recent episode is a repeat of a very common one. On Thursday, Taiwan’s defense ministry said it had detected 29 aircraft and four Chinese ships violating its airspace and territorial sea boundaries in 24 hours, respectively.
In all, over a week, the Chinese People’s Army sent 68 aircraft and 10 ships to the vicinity of the island, claimed by Beijing, in response to a US spy plane over the Taiwan Strait. South China Morning Post.
The island, which the Xi Jinping regime aims to return to China and which the United States has pledged to defend in the event of an attack, is a major focus of tension between Washington and Beijing, but the two powers’ rivalry has practically spread around the world. .
War and balloons
China’s official position on the resolution of the “Ukrainian crisis” — a phrase used by the Chinese Foreign Ministry to frame the invasion — drew sharp criticism in Washington last week. Throughout the first year of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, China stayed out of the discussions, striking a delicate balance.
On the one hand, if it must organize enough support to keep Russia from being completely isolated internationally, on the other hand, this support cannot interfere with Beijing’s ambition to position itself as one of the few world powers. A promise is made to the counterparty.
The Chinese plan represents this difficult task of squaring the circle. Perhaps that is why the document falls far short of providing concrete solutions to the conflict, such as annexed territories, Ukraine’s geopolitical status, or the presence of Russian military forces in a neighboring country.
“The war in Ukraine played a major role in the deterioration of relations between China and Europe,” he said. Financial Times Professor Li Mingjiang at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. “Now they want to do something to counter it,” he said.
Without openly condemning the invasion, China defends the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the parties involved, but has not stopped short of criticizing the “strengthening of military bases” and “expansion”. The release of the Chinese position, days after China’s diplomatic chief Wang Yi visited Moscow, reaffirmed the “boundless friendship” between the two countries, and was met with a chilly reception in Washington and European capitals.
Joe Biden’s administration is ratcheting up the pressure on China, not letting a day go by without reminding Russia that supplying dangerous weapons is taken seriously.
Earlier, the downing of a balloon over the United States suspected of spying for China, followed by similar incidents in subsequent days, have already contributed to growing uneasiness between Washington and Beijing. The most obvious decision was the postponement of Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken’s trip to China.
In Washington, the perception of danger posed by China’s rise appears to be one of the few issues that unites Democrats and Republicans. This week, for the first time, a congressional commission met that will focus exclusively over the next few months on the challenges that competition with Beijing poses for the United States.
“This is not a friendly game of tennis. – I am“This is an existential battle for what life will be like in the 21st century, and the most fundamental liberties are at stake,” commission chairman Republican Mike Gallagher was quoted as saying by Reuters at the start of the meeting. On the same day, another commission approved a set of sanctions targeting leaders and institutions linked to the PCC.