Posted originally on the CTH on February 22, 2023 | Sundance
I wrote about distinct data points in the last 24 hours {SEE HERE] that lean toward direct NATO hostile activity against Russia. Joe Biden might be saying that Ukraine flags are hanging from homes in small town America (major propaganda footing), but the overwhelming majority of Americans do not support an expanded war.
Russia is preparing. Today, high level officials from China and Russia held talks in Moscow and they were not hiding their unity of purpose in an alliance that would oppose western NATO engagement. When Beijing allows the panda mask to fall, the dragon message underneath it, “a relationship with no limits,” should be reviewed very carefully. The AP has some good color on the Moscow meeting.
(Via AP) Russia and China showcased their deepening ties Wednesday in meetings others are watching for signs that Beijing might offer the Kremlin stronger support for its war in Ukraine.
The visit by Wang Yi, the Chinese Communist Party’s most senior foreign policy official, to Moscow comes as the conflict in Ukraine continues to upend the global diplomatic order.
Relations between Russia and the West are at their lowest point since the Cold War, and ties between China and the U.S. are also under serious strain. Moscow suspended its participation in the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty with Washington this week. And the U.S. expressed concern that China could provide arms and ammunition to Russia.
Speaking at the start of talks with Wang, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed ties between the two countries and added that the Kremlin expects Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Russia.
The Russian leader, whose own rule over Russia is imperiled by the war, noted escalating international tensions, adding that “in this context, cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation on the global arena is particularly important for stabilizing the international situation.”
While Wang said “Chinese-Russian relations aren’t directed against any third countries and certainly can’t be subject to pressure from any third countries,” the specter of the war and how it has galvanized the West and deepened its divide with Russia hung over his meeting with Putin.
For instance, Wang emphasized that Moscow and Beijing both support “multipolarity and democratization of international relations” — a reference to their shared goal of countering the perceived U.S. dominance in global affairs.
Earlier Wednesday, Wang held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “Our ties have continued to develop dynamically, and despite high turbulence in the global arena, we have shown the readiness to speak in defense of each other’s interests,” Lavrov said.
Wang responded in kind, underlining Beijing’s focus on deepening ties with Russia — a relationship it has said has “no limits.” (read more)
China is never going to tell U.S. diplomats that Beijing will support Russia in the war. That’s not the way the panda messaging works.
Officially, China will present themselves as the high-road traveler, saying every effort for peace should be the focus. However, the interests of China, which is the real motive of the Beijing dragon, are much better positioned if the U.S. and western alliance decide to engage in war against Russia.
All of those advanced mineral, oil and energy investments by China become exponentially more valuable if Team Windmill goes to war against Russia. All of those U.S. multinational corporate assets currently held in Chinese manufacturing investments, will become outright property of the CCP if the U.S. goes into direct conflict with Russia.
The western NATO alliance (+ Japan and Australia) could certainly benefit from war to avoid the currency collapse looming as a result of excessive COVID spending combined with the Build Back Better energy policy shift. However, the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) as well as Iran and Saudi Arabia have already been roleplaying and positioning a currency replacement for OPEC+ (which includes Russia).
There’s nothing in the current geopolitical landscape to pull the NATO alliance away from increasing hostilities, and there’s nothing in the geopolitical outlook of China which precludes them from siding with Russia if the conflict does break out. In addition, no nation plays the passive-aggressive panda mask game as good as China… AND they’ve got North Korea to use as a controlled scapegoat arms broker.
Nothing in this scenario of the Chinese panda hugging Russia gives any optimism toward less likely World War III. It’s all bad.
Making matters worse, the one ingredient that could stop these war drums is respect. Do you think Chairman Xi and President Putin respect the cunning geopolitical strategy of Joe Biden? Of course not. No more than they respect Justin Trudeau or any other EU political leader representing their collective woke ideology.
Take respect out of the war dynamic and you lose the emergency brake.
Centinel2012 