22 February: Principles and interests
UKRAINE WAR TRUTH 357: Principles and interests
Random thoughts 20: Every country has principles and interests, and to defend them both in equal measure might sometimes be tricky. And trying to be “neutral” doesn't really help either. Let's look at China's view of the Russia-Ukraine war. Basically, China says it is neutral, but it is in fact leaning to the Russian side. It also says it is in favor of a ceasefire and peaceful negotiations, but in the past war year has not been really active trying to achieve either. The problem is a conflict between China's principles and interests.
Principles: China has always been defending the five principles of peaceful coexistence between states, including respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also stands by the UN charter. According to its principles, China should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine. There is no doubt that Russia has violated Ukraine's national sovereignty and territorial integrity and has thereby violated the UN charter. Even those who say that the U.S. has been interfering in the internal affairs of Ukraine at least since 2008 and supported a coup against the sitting president to replace him with someone more to their liking, will have to agree that there is still a difference between meddling undercover in the politics of another country on the one hand and launching an outright military invasion. Still, China has not denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Interests: It is not in China's interests to antagonize Russia – a large neighboring country – and to team up with the U.S. in the defense of Ukraine, and risking a Russian defeat or even collapse. It is in China's interests to have a multi-polar world, not a unipolar world under U.S. hegemony. Of course China wants to be one pole of that multi-polar world, but to be multi-polar there needs to be another or other powers besides the U.S. and China. “Chimerica” would mean a bipolar world, which China does not want. It needs Russia as one of the “poles”. Teaming up with the U.S. risks bringing that pole down. The U.S. could have avoided China cozying up to Russia if it wouldn't be so anti-China. U.S. strategic doctrine clearly states that after Russia's defeat China is next. The U.S. is also taking all kinds of measures – such as banning exports of chip-making equipment to China – to hinder and sabotage China's future development. Under those circumstances, it would be stupid for China to team up with the U.S. and turning Russia into an enemy – a large country right across the border.
Trying to be “neutral” has proven to be very difficult. Chinese leaders have visited Moscow to talk to Putin and Lavrov and declare their close collaboration. While all western leaders who are not sick or crippled have meanwhile visited Zelenskiy in Kyiv, no Chinese leader has made the effort. If China wants to show its neutrality, it should at least talk to Zelenskiy – even if it doesn't have to like the guy. Calling for a peaceful solution and negotiations while doing nothing to bring those about is also not helpful. China has promised to come up with a peace proposal on February 24, the one-year anniversary of the start of the war. Let's see if it can get its act together...