In recent US-Russia confrontations, China has not remained a mere spectator. Since the middle of last year till now, there have been numerous international hotspots: from the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan to the European debt crisis, from the Libyan war to the suppression of Syria and Iran. Among these issues, the shadow of US-Russia rivalry can be seen. However, in terms of international politics, diplomacy, and military affairs, issues such as Syria, Putin's return to the Russian presidency, and the European missile defense system have captured the world's attention. The continuous posturing and confrontation between the US and Russia on these three issues reflect the game of strategy and rhetoric between two major powers, full of brilliance. Yet, as an indispensable third party, China’s presence is also frequently seen, demonstrating how complex and perilous great power rivalries are.
The most intense area of US-Russia rivalry undoubtedly lies in their open confrontation over the Syrian issue. The Syrian crisis has been ongoing for a long time. The United States and other Western countries plan to impose their new Middle East policy on the region, aiming to forcibly promote regime change in Syria and use the nuclear issue to suppress Iran, gradually squeezing Russia's strategic space in the Middle East. The goal of the United States is to remove, through various means, all leaders of countries in the region that do not conform to its values, thereby gaining control of the region's geopolitical advantages and incorporating the world's most important energy supply into its sphere of influence, to curb the rise of certain anti-Western forces in the future.
Although Russia, with its vast territory and abundant oil resources, opposes Western intervention in Syria's internal affairs and explicitly opposes military action against Syria. Russia's position has received strong support from China because China has long realized that the U.S.'s aim to control Middle Eastern countries and their oil is a dual-purpose strategy: to suppress Russia geopolitically and to control China in the global energy supply in the future.
Therefore, both Russia and China understand clearly that neither country alone can fully resist the West led by the United States, but the combined strength of the two nations is something no force or group can ignore.
Thus, within the framework of the United Nations, on the Syrian issue and the Iranian issue, Russia and China are in perfect harmony, mutually understanding each other. Russia takes the lead while China supports from behind, complementing each other perfectly. By firmly casting veto votes, they have effectively curbed the arrogance of Western allies.
However, Western countries will not give up easily. They are plotting new strategies. Currently, both Russia and China have sent envoys or representatives to Syria, hoping to prompt some changes in Syria or Iran so as not to give the West any excuse for military action. In reality, neither Russia nor China has the ability or determination to prevent Western countries from taking military action. Therefore, both countries are trying to delay the arrival of military action through diplomatic efforts.
This year coincides with the presidential election in Russia. Former President Putin, who has served as prime minister for four years, announced his candidacy for the new presidency, which was expected by many but not welcomed by the United States. As a strong leader of Russia, Putin enjoys unprecedented support domestically, although there are dissenting voices, the majority of ordinary people hope that Putin can once again enter the Kremlin to govern. Moreover, Putin's plan is to transform Russia from a second-rate power into a world-class major power, perhaps not reaching the level of the former Soviet Union but at least becoming one of the poles in the new world order.
This is precisely the situation that the United States strives to avoid. The United States absolutely does not allow any country, including Russia and China, to become its powerful rival. Therefore, the competition and struggle between Russia and the US are inevitable. The US actively interferes and propagandizes, even inciting opposition groups within Russia to protest and demonstrate, attempting to influence Russian voters.
According to Russian sources, the US, either openly or covertly, plays a significant role in providing funds to "fan the flames" and strongly supports the "anti-Putin" factions. Although China remains vigilant towards this future powerful neighbor, Russia, Putin's governance benefits China in resisting American pressure. Especially during Putin's presidential term, he has maintained strategic coordination with China and communication mechanisms on major international issues. Furthermore, Putin has had good personal relations with Chinese leaders. Therefore, China generally holds a positive attitude towards Putin's re-election as the leader of Russia. Both the public and official sectors make efforts to fully endorse Putin's return to the Kremlin.
As the two largest nuclear weapon-owning countries in the world today, the United States and Russia are almost evenly matched in terms of strategic nuclear weapons. Under the banner of protecting its European allies, the US is actively building a missile defense system across Europe. The US representative to NATO said, “Whether Russia likes it or not,” the Obama administration plans to establish a ballistic missile defense system to protect European allies from missile threats.