Russia Enlists China to Push Back Against the US

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Both Russia and China were sanctioned by the United States for varying reasons.
• Russia decided to enlist China in a pushback against American sanctions and the US dollar.
• Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov visited China for two days to discuss their partnership.

To push back against sanctions from the United States and lessen their dependence on the US dollar, the foreign minister of Russia visited China last Monday to partner with the country.

Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi met in China for Lavrov’s two-day visit in the midst of their respective governments’ strained relationship with the US.

According to ​the South China Morning Post, Lavrov said, “the risks of sanctions should be reduced by strengthening the self-reliance of the science and technology industry, [and] promoting settlement by local and other international currencies that can replace the US dollar so as to gradually move away from the Western-controlled international payment system.”

Last week’s first high-level discussion between China and the USA, held in Alaska, turned into an argument when the government officials from China started reproaching US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his delegation on the subject of racism. The United State’s imposition of its ideals on all countries is also the reason for the reproach.

US President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin also argued when the former called the latter a “killer.” Russia then demanded the US President to apologize. Putin even challenged Biden to have a debate online.

The United States imposed penalties on both Russia and China for different reasons. The reason for Russia’s sanctions is because of interfering with the 2020 US election and for poisoning Russian politician Alexei Navalny. The US gave sanctions on Huawei, a Chinese technology company, and restricted the Communist Party officials’ visa.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters that Beijing and Moscow “always stood shoulder to shoulder. China and Russia are already very close partners, and both sides have been maintaining close contact at various levels.”

“The development of Russian-Chinese relations does not target any particular country, and our relationship is open and honest — unlike other countries, which have their own ulterior motives and even conspiracies​,” added Hua.

Source: New York Post