Over the last week China released a flurry of papers and statements that are accusing the U.S. of hegemony while contrasting it with China's peace initiatives.
As 'western' media rarely communicate what the Chinese say I find it necessary to give the Chinese standpoint some extended space.
Larry Johnson sets the stage by musing about the deterioration of U.S. China relations:
When the United States chose to shoot down the Chinese balloon (Beijing insists it was a weather balloon, the U.S. claims it was a spy platform) without contacting the Chinese Government, the Chinese initially expressed their outrage by refusing to accept a phone call from U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin. Austin continues to ask for a telephone conversation between the defense ministers of the two countries to discuss the situation around the weather balloon, but Beijing refuses to do so.
The Chinese then vowed to retaliate, but did not initially spell out what those countermeasures would entail. Then, last Thursday, Beijing announced sanctions and fines against two key American defense companies due to their participation in arms sales to Taiwan: Lockheed Martin Corp. and a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies Corp.
The Biden Administration had a choice — take steps to try to repair relations with China or double down on antagonizing Beijing. Joe Biden and his feckless team, who have a knack for doing the wrong thing, opted to poke the Chinese in the eye. This week, the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of State, claimed they had intelligence that China was preparing to give Russia military aid and warned China in the strongest terms not to do so.
Talk about hypocrisy. The United States is free to supply Ukraine with billions in weapons and equipment but declares itself the sole arbiter to decide who China can support with military aid. Beijing was not amused …
The U.S. 'intelligence' claim came immediately after China's foreign policy big wig Wang Yi (Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs) hinted in Munich that China would propose a peace plan for Ukraine:
On the Ukrainian issue, China believes that it is imperative to return to the Minsk II agreement, the starting point of this matter, as quickly as possible. The agreement is a binding instrument negotiated by the parties concerned and endorsed by the UN Security Council, and provides the only viable way out. State Councilor Wang noted that to his knowledge, Russia and the EU both support Minsk II, and in his recent telephone call with US Secretary of State Tony Blinken, the US side also expressed its support. In this context, shouldn’t the relevant parties sit down together for a thorough discussion to work out a roadmap and timetable for the implementation of the agreement? What all parties need to do now is to earnestly shoulder responsibilities and work for peace, instead of increasing tensions, stoking panic, or hyping up war.
As for the prospect of the issue, Wang Yi stressed that Ukraine should be a bridge for communication between the East and the West, not a frontier for confrontation between major powers. Regarding the security of Europe, all parties are free to raise their own concerns, and Russia’s reasonable security concerns should be respected and taken seriously. China hopes all parties will pursue dialogue and consultation to find a solution that is truly conducive to safeguarding the security of Europe.
China then took several actions to make its standpoint more clear.
On February 20 its foreign ministry released a paper about US Hegemony and Its Perils. It is full broadside against U.S. foreign policy behavior. Its chapter are:
- Introduction
- I. Political Hegemony—Throwing Its Weight Around
- II. Military Hegemony—Wanton Use of Force
- III. Economic Hegemony—Looting and Exploitation
- IV. Technological Hegemony—Monopoly and Suppression
- V. Cultural Hegemony—Spreading False Narratives
- Conclusion
The introduction lays out the facts:
Since becoming the world's most powerful country after the two world wars and the Cold War, the United States has acted more boldly to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, pursue, maintain and abuse hegemony, advance subversion and infiltration, and willfully wage wars, bringing harm to the international community.
The United States has developed a hegemonic playbook to stage "color revolutions," instigate regional disputes, and even directly launch wars under the guise of promoting democracy, freedom and human rights. Clinging to the Cold War mentality, the United States has ramped up bloc politics and stoked conflict and confrontation. It has overstretched the concept of national security, abused export controls and forced unilateral sanctions upon others. It has taken a selective approach to international law and rules, utilizing or discarding them as it sees fit, and has sought to impose rules that serve its own interests in the name of upholding a "rules-based international order."
This report, by presenting the relevant facts, seeks to expose the U.S. abuse of hegemony in the political, military, economic, financial, technological and cultural fields, and to draw greater international attention to the perils of the U.S. practices to world peace and stability and the well-being of all peoples.
I recommend to read the full paper to expandd your knowledge and amusement.
On February 21 China released a Global Security Initiative Concept Paper. It is a long paper and a bit muddled. But it talks of deep cooperation and processes designed to defuse several areas of global instability:
We are convinced that the historical trends of peace, development and win-win cooperation are unstoppable. Upholding world peace and security and promoting global development and prosperity should be the common pursuit of all countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI), calling on countries to adapt to the profoundly changing international landscape in the spirit of solidarity, and address the complex and intertwined security challenges with a win-win mindset. The GSI aims to eliminate the root causes of international conflicts, improve global security governance, encourage joint international efforts to bring more stability and certainty to a volatile and changing era, and promote durable peace and development in the world.
The dual papers, exposing the brutality of U.S. foreign policy on one side and countering it with China's peace initiatives on the other, are China's offer to the rest of the world to build a multilateral coalition against the U.S. and its proxy 'allies'.
After leaving Munich Wang Yi traveled to Moscow to start a discussion about a peace proposal for the conflict in Ukraine. A potential visit by the Chinese president Xi Jinping to Moscow was announced. It will probably happen within the next two or three weeks.
The U.S. expressed concern about it:
The United States is concerned by greater alignment between China and Russia, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday after Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed "new frontiers" in ties with Beijing and signalled China's Xi Jinping would visit his country.
…
U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Wang's visit to Russia on the eve of the war's one-year anniversary was further evidence of Beijing's alignment with Moscow."We are concerned because these two countries share a vision," Price told a press briefing. "It is a vision … of an era in which big countries could bully small countries, borders could be redrawn by force, an era in which might could make right," he said.
"We have not yet seen the PRC provide Russia with lethal aid, but we don't believe they've taken it off the table either," Price added.
The former Indian ambassador MK Bhadrakumar thinks that the Chinese initiative put renewed Russian fireworks over Ukraine, originally set to go off today, into suspension:
Putin confirmed that Moscow is expecting a visit by the Chinese President Xi Jinping after the sessions of the highest deliberative and legislative bodies of China — the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the National People’s Congress — which will begin in Beijing on March 4 and 5. Conceivably, the launch of any large scale Russian offensive will remain in suspended animation until then.
Yesterday China's foreign ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin referred to the policy papers in his press confernece. Asked about Wang Yi's visit to Moscow he said that Russia is fully on board with China's initiative:
China and Russia advocate and practice true multilateralism, oppose all forms of unilateralism and bullying, firmly safeguard our respective sovereignty, security and development interests, actively explore development paths suited to our respective national conditions, and tap the cooperation potential in various fields. No matter how the international landscape may change, China will maintain a sound momentum in growing a new type of major-country relations with Russia. China is willing to work with Russia to maintain strategic resolve, deepen political trust, strengthen strategic coordination, expand practical cooperation, safeguard the legitimate interests of both countries and play both countries’ constructive role in promoting world peace and development.
When asked about the State Department Ned Price's response Wang Wenbin fired another salvo against the U.S.:
CCTV: The US is concerned because China and Russia share a vision, the Spokesperson for the US Department of State Ned Price said. What’s your comment?
Wang Wenbin: The China-Russia relationship is built on the basis of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting at any third party. It is a factor conducive to world peace and stability, which is no cause for concern. What is truly concerning is the destructive role the US has played to peace and stability in the world.
The US is the No.1 warmonger in the world. The US was not at war for only 16 years throughout its 240-plus years of history. The US accounted for about 80 percent of all post-WWII armed conflicts.
The US is also the No.1 violator of sovereignty and interferer in the internal affairs of other countries. According to reports, since the end of WWII, the US has sought to subvert more than 50 foreign governments, grossly interfered in elections in at least 30 countries and attempted assassination on over 50 foreign leaders.
The US is also the No.1 source of antagonism and bloc confrontation. The US-led NATO is responsible for wars on Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria that killed more than 900,000 and created 37 million refugees. It has also made the Eurasia continent a less stable place. The impact of US-initiated Quad and AUKUS on Asia-Pacific security and stability also calls for vigilance.
As long as US hegemonism and belligerence still exists, the rest of world will hardly get the peace it deserves.
The last question of the press conference allowed for another shot:
Reuters: The Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden administration may release intelligence that shows that China is considering whether to supply weapons to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. What’s China’s comment on this?
Wang Wenbin: …
Speaking of releasing valuable intelligence, the US could release intelligence on the truth behind the Nord Stream blast. We hope the US will provide a serious and responsible response to the revelations as soon as possible, rather than being evasive about it.
Today the foreign ministry released China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis. It has twelve points:
- Respecting the sovereignty of all countries.
- Abandoning the Cold War mentality.
- Ceasing hostilities.
- Resuming peace talks.
- Resolving the humanitarian crisis.
- Protecting civilians and prisoners of war (POWs).
- Keeping nuclear power plants safe.
- Reducing strategic risks.
- Facilitating grain exports.
- Stopping unilateral sanctions.
- Keeping industrial and supply chains stable.
- Promoting post-conflict reconstruction.
Point two is the essential one:
2. Abandoning the Cold War mentality. The security of a country should not be pursued at the expense of others. The security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs. The legitimate security interests and concerns of all countries must be taken seriously and addressed properly. There is no simple solution to a complex issue. All parties should, following the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and bearing in mind the long-term peace and stability of the world, help forge a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture. All parties should oppose the pursuit of one’s own security at the cost of others’ security, prevent bloc confrontation, and work together for peace and stability on the Eurasian Continent.
That point emphasizes the "equal and indivisible security" Putin had spoken of on February 23 2022. China is thereby fully supportive of Russia's core position.
Yesterday the United Nations General Assembly voted on a resolution that demands that Russia leave Ukraine. While the majority of countries voted in favor of the resolution those who voted against or abstained (including China, India, Pakistan, Iran, South Africa) represent nearly half of the global population.
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