Asad Mirza
Recent events in Ukraine and Taiwan are once again testing the Russia-China ties, as neither has commented upon or shown support to each other’s actions in different theatres of action.
Two time-tested allies, though differing ideologically at present but firmly rooted in the same political ideology roots and having faced several crises together, supporting each other at regional and international level through political brinkmanship are facing a new stress. Though each of them deny publicly of supporting each other, yet no one can discount the secret deals which help further cement their ties.
To boost the bilateral ties and trade, a new cross-border bridge between Russia and China was inaugurated on 10 June in the Far East in a bid to further boost bilateral trade between traditional Communist friends, besides countering rising US-led sanctions over Taiwan and Ukraine.
Kremlin’s representative in the Russian Far East, Yuri Trutnev, described the bridge as carrying a special symbolic meaning in today’s divided world. While Russia’s Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev said that the bridge would help increase bilateral annual trade between the two countries to more than 1 million tons of goods.
Russian authorities claim that the bridge would bring Moscow and Beijing closer together by expanding trade. China’s Vice Premier Hu Chunhua also welcomed the development, saying that Beijing seeks to deepen practical cooperation with Russia in all areas.
Russia announced in April it expected commodity flows with China to surge, and trade with Beijing to reach $200 billion by 2024. China is a major purchaser of Russian natural resources and agricultural products.
The development comes amid Western criticism of Beijing’s refusal to condemn Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine while also censuring US-led sanctions against Russia and acting arrogantly against Taiwan.
China-US Ties
It seems as if Chinese tensions with…
