China Attempts to Strike Delicate Balance on Ukraine

...Russian diplomats have asserted that China supports Russia’s actions there. Throughout this week China’s comments on the situation have been muted.

Qin Gang, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said China believes in non-interference in internal affairs and is taking into consideration historical facts as well as the complexity of the situation.

...In an editorial this week China’s Global Times newspaper stated that “the Ukrainian situation shows us clearly that in the international political arena, principles are decided by power.” In a commentary China’s Xinhua news agency argued that the West’s “biased mediation has polarized Ukraine and only made things worse in the country.”

...China has much to lose and gain...

China Attempts to Strike Delicate Balance on Ukraine

Seems China made a lot of investments into Ukraine under ousted president Yanukovich - and now has to protect same. It's also consistent with most Chinese philosophies to promote "dialogue and negotiation to preserve peace," as China's officials are doing. However, also seems Western interests are after Ukraine's markets and manipulating the situation. Sucks to be popular.

In recent years Ukraine and China have formed military, trade and agricultural partnerships. In 2012 Ukraine became the fourth-largest arms exporter in the world, with many of those exports going to China. Beijing's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was built in Ukraine.

Ukraine agreed last year to a deal for China to lease five percent of the country’s land to grow crops and raise pigs for sale to Chinese state-owned companies. As part of that deal China promised to build highways and bridges in the country.

China also pledged $8 billion in aid during ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s visit to Beijing in December. That was in addition to $10 billion China had previously given to the country.

I truly hope diplomacy does not fail.

reply to post by soficrow


You got to respect the chinese for wanting to keep everything peaceful.

I would not want them mad though. They have 2.3 million troops and the second largest navy on the planet, I would not want to piss them off.

Maybe the Chinese want to keep it peaceful, maybe not. I think it reads as being rather morally ambivalent.

"...Principles are decided by power..." is the line that stands out to me in that statement. Distasteful as it sounds, it's true. It's that kind of Machiavellian thinking that keeps governments and leaders in power, and the actions taken by Putin in the Crimea only drive that point home. Who's going to stop Putin from doing what he wants in his backyard? No one.

That one line is as much a message to it's own people as it is to the rest of the world. To the World: Like Russia, we (the Communist Party of China) have power, and will do as we please. To it's people: We (The People of China) can and must continue to accrue power, economically and militarily, for only then can we be the masters of our own destiny.

Peaceful indeed.

reply to post by Orwells Ghost


I read it the way you did too. Ugh. So now China is telling the world- "...hey, if it's OK for Russia, it's OK for us, right? Right?"

Might makes right, in Chinese.

reply to post by Gozer


It's not a strictly Chinese attitude, it's just how business is done on the geopolitical stage in the modern world. Though one does wonder about the implications of such a stance vis-a-vis Taiwan, Japan and the Korea's, especially considering the perceived weakness of the West which Putin has done a wonderful job of putting on display.

Orwells Ghost


"...Principles are decided by power..." is the line that stands out to me in that statement. Distasteful as it sounds, it's true. It's that kind of Machiavellian thinking that keeps governments and leaders in power, and the actions taken by Putin in the Crimea only drive that point home. Who's going to stop Putin from doing what he wants in his backyard? No one.

I think you may be reading too much into that line? It seems to me like an almost satyrical observation. Geopolitics is Machiavellian, they just called a spade a spade.. maybe lol

reply to post by March of the Fire Ants


It's certainly a possibility.
Even if that's the case, satire is only humorous because it's true, no?

reply to post by soficrow


When has diplomacy succeeded?

I have not seen a good outcome from diplomacy but once in a blue moon. Normally diplomacy works well for whatever side will benefit from delay and indecision.

I am not advocating the US get involved by any means. We need to stop doing that!! This is not our sphere of influence and we have little at stake there.

Something you should consider, is that China has invested more into Siberia than Russia has, and it's home for far more Chinese than Russians.

If Russia says it's ok to invade due to ethnicity... it's opening the doors for China to do the same thing down the line.

reply to post by Orwells Ghost


Very true! I suppose you were probably right originally, stating the truth like that mostly serves to remind underlings of their inferiority. Also some nice fence sitting though!

China doesn't care who win or loses, they just want to do business.

Tonnes of Ukraine's are already marrying Chinese.

That is also a business.

Delicate. Yeah that made me laugh.

China just wants it's gas and oil, no matter what the cost or to whom.

reply to post by bbracken677

When has diplomacy succeeded?

I have not seen a good outcome from diplomacy ...

Diplomacy has succeeded when it's invisible - you can tell diplomacy has failed when problems go public. "Situations" can still be saved but it's harder when 'disagreements' have progressed to become difficulties.

Wonder if Russia is simply protecting Chinese interests.

From the original article

...principles are decided by power.”

Gozer
reply to post by Orwells Ghost

 

I read it the way you did too. Ugh. So now China is telling the world- "...hey, if it's OK for Russia, it's OK for us, right? Right?"

Might makes right, in Chinese.

China has already learned the lesson for that, and it has already has been deemed okay for China. It continues to this day. Pull up a current global map and take a took at Tibet. Err....wait....where?

reply to post by Bellor

Wonder if Russia is simply protecting Chinese interests.

More like Russia wants China to team up against Western corporations going for global control. China's still fence sitting though, waiting to see who has the best offer.

reply to post by Gozer


There's one little problem, though.

Right makes Might, not vice versa.

This may not be apparent to our clouded eyes; this may not be what the world wants to hear

but it is a universal principle.

# 197

snypwsd
reply to post by soficrow

 

You got to respect the chinese for wanting to keep everything peaceful.

As in, the "hand over your territory and resources and nobody gets hurt" kind of peaceful?

China mediating for peace in eastern Europe..surreeaalll...this is some serious down the rabbit hole crap..

The whole world is turning into some huge "everybody hold hands and make a giant heart shape the size of Europe" coca cola advert..

reply to post by andy1972


Thanks. That coke chorus still gives me an instant empty vacuum hole in the middle of my chest, and makes me soooo sad.

Great sig btw.