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China’s Alliance with Russia against the United States

China and Russia both object to the current international order and the interests it promotes, including human rights, democracy, and a rules-based economic system that imposes on them obligations they wish to avoid.  Both nations see the values of that order as a threat to their authoritarian models and perceive the United States as the leader and primary defender, along with its alliance network, of that order (Zhao, 2021). Based on this common perception and their mutual interest in opposing the United States and its allies, an entente between China and Russia has emerged in recent years, given that the two have enhanced their diplomatic, military, and financial operations (Myers, 2021). This paper discusses what is perceived from China and Russia’s actions and the United States’ actions regarding the New World Order’s leadership. Moreover, the paper offers insights into what it will take to prevent China and Russia from leading the world to war. The China and Russia partnership presents a significant risk to the United States and its allies.

China and Russia perceive threats to their regime security emanating from democracy movements, which they allege are “color revolution” instigated by the United States and free open internet.  Both nations seek to combat these challenges by interfering in democratic countries’ political processes and jointly championing the idea that the internet should be subject to sovereigns states’ control (Myers, 2021). Furthermore, the two nations have coordinated efforts to act as a counterweight against the United States by championing rogue or authoritarian regimes and opposing the U.S.-led votes in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). More extensively, Russia and China’s promotions of norms conducive to authoritarian aims to subvert key aspects of the international new world order.

            In a joint statement, China and Russia accused the United States of bullying and interference. In the report, the two nations urged the U.S. to reflect on its damage to the world’s development and peace in recent years.  The threat of a U.S.-led coalition challenging China’s authoritarian policies has only bolstered Beijing’s ambition of becoming a world leader of nations that oppose Washington and its allies (Myers, 2021). Moreover, it displays enhancing confidence and unapologetic China, one that not only refutes U.S criticisms of its internal affairs but that presents its values as a model for others. Consequently, the world is increasingly dividing into distinct, not purely ideological camps, with both the United States and China hoping to lure supporters. Currently, the United States is making attempts to forging an alliance of democracies (Zhao, 2021). According to Joe Biden, President of the U.S., China, and Russia’s approaches can be described as a battle between democracies’ utility in the 21^st century and autocracies.

Different approaches can be implemented to prevent China and Russia’s alliance from leading the world to war. For instance, the U.S. should consider restoring diplomatic engagement with Russia and recalibrated sanctions regime crafted to resolve conflict and not only punish as the first steps in developing a strategic option for Russia beyond China (Götz & Merlen, 2019). Moreover, the U.S. and the UN should eschew policies that could alter China’s current tensions into a full-blown cold war. With this approach, Chinese interactions will prove decisive (Zhao, 2021). However, an enhanced relationship with Russia could assist in minimizing the risk. While Russia benefits from a certain level of tension in U.S. and China relations, in a cold war, it would be under pressure to choose sides and therefore sacrifice its strategic autonomy, a significant element of national identity.  According to Götz and Merlen (2019), Russia might have little direct influence over Chinese conduct. However, enhancing U.S. and Russia ties and eliminating the incentives for Russian-Chinese strategic alignment would complicate Beijing’s calculus and result in less aggressive Chinese policies.