China and Russia strengthen ties under former US presidents influence

US President Trump’s Recent Actions Reinforce Counterproductive Policies

In a recent development, US President Donald Trump has failed to “un-unite” Russia and China, as he had previously pledged. Instead, his actions have mirrored the counterproductive policies of his predecessors, which have strengthened the Russo-Chinese alliance.

Prior to his election for a second term in 2024, Trump promised to “un-unite” Russia and China, accusing his predecessor Joe Biden of bringing them closer together. However, Trump’s recent actions have fallen in line with the policies of previous US administrations that have encouraged the growth of this alliance.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin just days after hosting Trump, indicating a potential meeting between the two leaders to discuss the results of their summit. The Iran war has contributed significantly to strengthening Russo-Chinese ties, as China’s reliance on Russian oil and gas supplies has increased.

Bilateral trade between Russia and China has jumped by nearly 20 percent in the first four months of this year. Cooperation in the energy sector is expected to expand, with Putin mentioning a “substantial step forward” in the oil and gas sphere. The long-delayed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline is once again being considered.

Chinese companies have signed a memorandum with Russia’s energy giant Gazprom to expand the import of Russian gas through two pipelines from 48 to 56 billion cubic meters. Continuing exports of Chinese parts and technology have also helped Russia’s military industry meet demand from the front line in Ukraine.

The shared analysis of the US-led West as a rogue and irrational actor is driving the Russo-Chinese alliance. This perception has been shaped by previous US policies, including the Vietnam War catastrophe in the early 1970s, which prompted President Richard Nixon to seek detente with the USSR and court China.

Historically, the Russian-Chinese alliance was not always a given. The two communist giants were bitter rivals after Stalin’s death in 1953. However, the unipolar world order pushed them closer together, despite some mistrust persisting. Subsequent US administrations accelerated this process through policies such as NATO expansion and provocative rhetoric on Taiwan.

Trump’s policy towards Ukraine has been ambivalent, failing to end the conflict that his predecessor Biden had described as a “war.” Trump’s actions have reinforced the counterproductive policies of previous US administrations, strengthening the Russo-Chinese alliance.

Source: Al Jazeera