China has dropped support for Russia after a brief uprising that analysts say poses a challenge to Putin’s government. A day after Prighozin ended his uprising by recalling combat troops in a deal with the Kremlin that will reportedly see him go into exile in Belarus, Beijing made its first comments on what Putin called an “armed uprising.”
“This is Russia’s internal affairs,” said a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry in a brief statement posted online on June 25, 2023 evening local time.[1] “As Russia’s friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic coordination partner for the new era, China supports Russia in maintaining national stability and achieving development and prosperity,” the spokesperson added.[2]
In addition to the threats coming from Prighozin, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko flew to Beijing to meet with Chinese officials last Sunday, June 25, to deepen the partnership and build political trust between them. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministers Qin Gang and Rudenko exchanged views on “Sino-Russian relations and international and regional issues of mutual concern,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.[3] In a one-line statement posted on its website, with a photo showing the pair walking side by side. side smiling.
On that occasion, the two foreign ministers also took photos side by side at an activity called “scheduled consultation” by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu. “The Chinese side expressed support for the efforts of the leadership of the Russian Federation to stabilize the situation in the country in light of the events of June 24, and reaffirmed its interest in further strengthening Russia’s unity and prosperity,” the ministry said in a statement.
During the meeting, Ma also told Rudenko that under the leadership of Xi and Putin, the mutual political trust and cooperation between China and Russia has continued to grow. Despite its claims of neutrality, China has refused to condemn the invasion and instead provided much-needed diplomatic and economic support to Russia, a position that worries Western nations, particularly in Europe.
Friendly Cooperation or Interest-driven cooperation?
If you look at the relationship between the two, Russia and China have a long history of good relations. China and Russia have had a long history of relations. Although there had been an ideological rift after Nikita Khrushchev took over the leadership of the Soviet Union which almost led to open war between the two countries. Since the 1950s, relations between the two began to improve only after Chinese leader Jiang Zemin reciprocated with a visit to Moscow in 1991, where the two countries agreed to resolve parts of their long-held border dispute. These developments culminated in an upgrade in 1996 to a “strategic coordination partnership,” with the Soviet Union.[4]
Even in 2001, China and Russia signed the Treaty of Good Neighborhood and Friendly Cooperation which was upgraded to a “comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership” In 2011[5] and made a joint statement in 2019 by a joint statement which listed the five basic principles of relations, among which were the principles of “mutual understanding and accommodation and mutually beneficial cooperation.” Moreover, sometime before Russia invaded Ukraine, Putin’s first trip since the COVID-19 pandemic to China had demonstrated the closeness of the two countries which was followed by a joint statement reaffirming that “the relationship between Russia and China is superior to any Cold War-era political and military alliance.”[6]
Their relationship has grown closer in recent times. Both China and Russia are actors that are closely monitored by the US, especially after Russia invades Ukraine, which has made the world, especially the US try to stop it “indirectly” through various sanctions and isolate Moscow from the international community. This made Russia draw closer to China to ensure a partner who would support it.
What has been done can be said to be Russia’s way of maintaining its existence. This happened because Russia had to maximize its country’s security, especially since recently there was almost a coup by private actors which became an additional threat to Russia. In line with the main goal of the state in the neorealism approach as an effort to build peace by taking into account similarities in politics, culture, and economic structure, bilateral relations are a supporting aspect that is characterized as a kind of cooperation between nations that are physically close to one another or even countries that are far apart.[7]
In international relations, there are two contexts of bilateral relations in international relations: collaboration and conflict. What is meant by “bilateral relations” is a scenario in which there is a reciprocal relationship or mutual influence between the two parties or between the two countries. China itself does not necessarily accept Russia’s approach, because, with an attitude of trying to be neutral, this bilateral relationship needs a thorough calculation of the advantages and disadvantages that can occur, especially since Xi Jinping has just met with the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, to restore relations between both but “stumped” by Joe Biden likening Xi to a “dictator”.
[1] Nectar Gan, “China throws support behind ‘strategic partner’ Russia after Wagner insurrection challenges Putin”, CNN, June 26th, 2023, https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/25/china/china-russia-wagner-insurrection-intl-hnk/index.html
[2] Ibid
[3] “China, Russia should defend common interests in difficult int’l situation”, TASS, June 25th, 2023, https://tass.com/world/1638125
[4] “How Has the China-Russia Relationship Evolved?”, China Power, May 10th, 2022, https://chinapower.csis.org/history-china-russia-relations/
[5] “Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Joint Statement on the 10th Anniversary of the Signing of the “Sino-Russian Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation”, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, June 17th, 2011, https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/gjhdq_676201/gj_676203/oz_678770/1206_679110/1207_679122/201106/t20110617_9337139.shtml
[6] “Joint Statement of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on the International Relations Entering a New Era and the Global Sustainable Development”, President of Russia, February 4th, 2022, http://en.kremlin.ru/supplement/5770?s=08
[7] Kusumohamidjojo, “Hubungan Internasional: Kerangka Studi Analisis”, Jakarta: Bina Cipta, 1987
