Russia, China Bolster Ties to Defy U.S. --- Moscow and Beijing vie with Washington for influence across the global South

"Russia and China have pledged to deepen their growing alliance and shared opposition to what they describe as the U.S.'s attempts to dominate the world order, with Moscow again seeking to boost trade with Beijing as it looks for new ways to bypass the Western sanctions imposed for its role in Ukraine.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday after the U.S. increased the volume of warnings that China should step back from helping Moscow.

 The meeting, which followed separate talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also came against a backdrop of a growing tussle for influence in the global south between the West on one hand, and China and Russia and their partners on the other.

Lavrov echoed some of the language of the Cold War in his remarks following the discussions, and again criticized what he called the West's proclivity for falling in behind Washington, and the U.S.'s attempts to get the rest of the world to follow the same line.

"There is no place for dictatorship, hegemony, neocolonial and colonial practices, which are now being applied by the United States and all the rest of the collective West unquestioningly submitting to the will of Washington," Lavrov said.

China officially has maintained a position of neutrality over the Ukraine conflict, but it has remained an economic lifeline for Russia, deepening trade ties that have helped Russian President Vladimir Putin stabilize his economy despite Western sanctions.

Beijing also has sought to position itself as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine, and dispatched an envoy to Moscow, Kyiv and other capitals. Its proposal last year aimed at ending the conflict was discounted by European officials who saw China as hewing too closely to Russia's position.

Wang said China "hopes to see a cease-fire and an end to the conflict as soon as possible," while Lavrov said Moscow was "grateful to our Chinese friends for their objective, balanced position, and for their willingness to play a positive role in the matter of a political and diplomatic settlement."

While the U.S. hasn't officially accused China of providing lethal aid to Moscow, it has grown critical of other assistance Beijing has provided that American officials say bolsters Russia's ability to prosecute its actions.

 During a call last week, President Biden warned Xi about U.S. concerns that Beijing is supporting Russia's defense industry.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen repeated those concerns during a visit to China this week, telling officials that Chinese companies that aid in Russia's military procurement "will face significant consequences."

Beijing has denied selling weapons to Russia and rejected Washington's warnings, and has accused Washington of fanning the conflict by arming Ukraine.

Lavrov also accused the U.S. of strengthening its alliances in the Asia-Pacific region to target Russia and China.

Biden is hosting Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a trilateral summit this week that is expected to include talks on countering China's aggressive efforts to stake its claims to much of the South China Sea.

The American alliances have "an overt anti-Chinese, anti-Russian orientation," Lavrov said on Tuesday. He accused the U.S. of trying to "break the security architecture" that has evolved around the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, a political and economic union of 10 states in Southeast Asia.

Since 2022, the U.S. has imposed trade restrictions on dozens of Hong Kong and Chinese entities for selling equipment to Russia that supports its military. Trade between Russia and China grew last year by more than 26% to $240 billion.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Lavrov's visit could be considered preparation for "upcoming contacts at the highest level," between the nations, but he declined to confirm whether Putin is planning another trip to China this year." [1]

Listen, kids, sanctions against big countries, and especially their blocs, don't work. Find another, more interesting game than the fourteenth set of sanctions.

1. World News: Russia, China Bolster Ties to Defy U.S. --- Moscow and Beijing vie with Washington for influence across the global south. Austin Ramzy; Simmons, Ann M.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 10 Apr 2024: A.5.