Wooing Russia To Bash China? The Pompeo Camp Is at It Again!

Published in Cankao
(China) on 18 May 2020
by Mukainada (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Thomas Tang. Edited by Helaine Schweitzer.

 

 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the leader of the anti-Chinese camp, made two statements during a recent interview with the Washington Examiner. First, he threatened to build an international alliance that would impose costs on China for the damage caused by the novel coronavirus. Second, he wooed Russia by stating that collaboration between the U.S. and Russia is likely to be successful in efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and terrorism.

A Russian news source pointed out clearly that the U.S. is putting on a friendly face in an attempt to woo Russia, so that it will join the U.S. in its effort to bash China. The U.S. is presuming that China is guilty, and initiating an investigation into the origin of the virus as it tries to draw certain countries to its side. Now, it is using Russia to pressure China.

With the continuous recent tension in the China-U.S. relationship, any minor activity within the China-Russia-U.S. triangle draws significant attention. On April 25, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a joint statement commemorating the 75th anniversary of the meeting on the Elbe. The statement emphasized that the “Spirit of the Elbe” is an example of how the two countries put aside differences, built mutual trust, and cooperated in pursuit of a greater cause. On May 7, after a phone call between the two presidents, Trump asserted that the U.S. would help Russia fight the outbreak. He also said that now is the perfect opportunity to collaborate, and that the relationship between the two countries would improve. These activities have all triggered speculation within the international community.

Russia has already thrown a wet blanket on the Pompeo camp, which is counting on Russia to help it bash China. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on May 7 that there is some interaction between Russia and the U.S., but the aim of these interactions is to avoid unnecessary conflict. Peskov also said that the administration does not see the prospect of Russia-U.S. relations improving in the near future.

On the other hand, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia has continued at a high level. Both countries have criticized the U.S. for politicizing the outbreak. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the demands of certain countries that China pay reparations for damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are unacceptable, and that these demands make his “hair stand on end.” As for America’s demand that China participate in the nuclear arms control pact, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the idea as unfeasible.

The Pompeo camp’s attempt to sow discord between China and Russia so that Russia will join the anti-Chinese team is purely ridiculous!

First, Russia-U.S. relations are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War, and they are unlikely to be restored quickly. The two countries not only are fundamentally opposed to each other over issues such as future development plans and international orders, but they have many conflicting interests: U.S. imposition of sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine; NATO’s strengthening military deployment in central and eastern Europe; the two countries’ disagreement over Syria; and U.S. criticism of Russia for disseminating fake news. The two countries have limited room for compromise with such profound and complex disagreements.

Secondly, a considerable number of anti-Russian forces are present within the U.S. and are severely hindering the White House’s attempt to improve relations with Russia. Trump has still not visited Russia since he took office. In the U.S., many accuse Russia of meddling in the 2016 election. It is difficult for Trump to make any big moves in improving relations with Russia when he is accused of conspiring with Russian agents. Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, has pointed out that U.S. politicians are now more anti-Russian than ever, and that Trump is the only one who wants to approach Russia in the current administration. In addition, the Trump administration has been frequently inconsistent. Even if the Pompeo camp, which is loyal to Trump, put on a friendly face in order to improve relations with Russia, the Russians would hardly trust them.

Finally, it is by no means expedient to further the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia. This strategy will not be shaken by external factors. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations over 70 years ago, the bond between the two countries has withstood volatile shifts on the international scale. The relationship is growing increasingly mature, stable, and strong; the bond between the two world powers boasts the highest degree of mutual trust, the highest level of collaboration and the highest strategic value. The leaders of the two countries share similar views on where the world is heading and how to govern. And most importantly, Russia and China have a highly consistent understanding of the strategic significance of their relations, and they share the same determination and desire to promote the continuous and in-depth development of these relations. Moreover, the people of both countries are on the same page with respect to sustaining these relations.

Pompeo’s poorly devised attempt to woo Russia in order to bash China completely runs counter to history. It is even laughable!




“反华急先锋”蓬佩奥日前接受《华盛顿观察家报》采访,释放了两个信号。一是扬言要组建一个国际联盟,就因新冠疫情而蒙受的“损失”向中国索赔。二是向俄罗斯“示好”,称携手对抗新冠病毒大流行和恐怖主义是美俄有望成功合作的领域。

俄罗斯今日经济网一针见血地指出,美方此番友好姿态,只不过是美国试图“拉俄抗华”的花招。为了就新冠疫情起源对中国展开有罪推定式调查,美国正试图拉拢一些国家,如今又有意利用俄罗斯因素对华施压。

近来中美关系持续紧张,中美俄“战略三角”的任何风吹草动,都令外界格外关注。上月25日,俄美总统发表联合声明纪念苏美两军易北河会师75周年,强调“易北河精神”是俄美为实现共同目标而摒弃前嫌,建立互信与合作的范例。本月7日,特朗普在与普京通电话后表示,美国将帮助俄抗疫,目前是美俄开展合作的最佳时机,双方关系将会改善。这些动向都曾引发外界揣测。

对于指望“拉俄抗华”的蓬佩奥们来说,俄方实际上已经给他们泼了冷水。克里姆林宫发言人佩斯科夫7日表示,“俄美两国确实有一些互动,但主要是为了避免不必要的冲突对抗”,俄方看不到俄美近期改善关系的前景。

与此同时,中俄近来却展现了全面战略协作伙伴关系的高水准。中俄齐声驳斥美方将疫情政治化的论调。对于某些国家因新冠病毒而向中国索赔,俄罗斯外长表示这一说法令人“毛骨悚然”,不可接受。而对于美方要求中国加入美俄核军控谈判的要求,俄外交部发言人认为这种说法太过牵强……

蓬佩奥们企图离间中俄、拉俄抗华,纯粹是痴人说梦!

首先,俄美关系正处于自冷战结束以来的最低点,难以在短时间内“重置”。这不仅是由于两国在发展理念和国际秩序观等问题上存在根本性对立,还因为两国利益碰撞点甚多,比如美国以乌克兰问题为由对俄实施制裁;北约在中东欧强化军事部署;两国在叙利亚问题上长期争锋相对;美对俄散布“假新闻”的批评指责……在矛盾深刻复杂的背景下,两国相互妥协的余地有限。

其次,美国内部的反俄势力能量不小,对白宫改善对俄关系形成强大制约。特朗普上台后,至今未实现访俄。在美国国内,有很多人指责俄干预了2016年的美国大选,面临“通俄”指责的特朗普难以在改善对俄关系方面迈出大步子。卡内基莫斯科中心主任德米特里·特列宁指出,“如今美国政治阶层比以往任何时候都更加反俄,在当前美国政府中,支持接近俄的仅有特朗普一人”。再加上当前的美国政府经常出尔反尔,即便忠于特朗普的蓬佩奥们摆出改善对俄关系的姿态,也很难获得俄方信任。

第三,中俄深化全面战略协作绝非权宜之计,这一战略抉择不会因外部因素影响而动摇。中俄建交70多年来,两国关系经受住国际风云变幻考验,日臻成熟、稳定、坚韧,并成为互信程度最高、协作水平最高、战略价值最高的一对大国关系。两国领导人对当前世界大势看法相近,在治理国家方面理念相通。最重要的是,双方对中俄关系的战略意义有高度一致的认识,对推动两国关系持续深入发展怀有共同的决心和愿望。而且,中俄友好有着深厚的民意基础。

蓬佩奥东施效颦,企图“拉俄抗华”,完全是逆历史潮流而动,徒增笑耳!
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