Saturday, October 18, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Analysis: Is Russia at risk of becoming a vassal state to China?

The new multipolar world order

In an analysis published on RT, Ivan Zuenko, senior research director at MGIMO University, argues that the two superpowers actually have great respect for each other's integrity and independence.

Published 16 March 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are described as having a long-term and respectful relationship.
3 minute read

In some Washington circles, Moscow is seen as a potential “junior partner” that can be drawn away from Beijing’s influence. Western discourse has long painted Russia as a junior partner – even a vassal state – in relation to China.

In recent decades, ties between the two powers have strengthened markedly, especially after Western countries, seeking to isolate Russia during the Ukraine conflict, cut off economic and cultural contacts. As a result, Beijing’s role as both an economic and political ally of Moscow has increased. While differences in population size and economic capacity may seem crucial, the complex dynamics between the countries cannot be reduced to mere statistics. Russia has significant military and strategic advantages, making a subordinate position difficult to imagine.

The American view

According to US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russia has become increasingly dependent on China – a dependence that they say risks undermining Moscow’s strategic autonomy. Some in the US interpret this as a sign that a future coalition between Moscow and Beijing could threaten Washington’s interests. Comparisons are drawn with the Nixon-era attempts to exploit the geopolitical situation in the 1970s, when a US initiative helped to open China to the West and thus strengthen the US position against the Soviet Union.

However, the historical parallel is flawed: in the 1970s, China and the Soviet Union were already in a sharp confrontation, and the current situation is characterized by the fact that neither Russia nor China is interested in distancing themselves from the United States. Instead, through its dual containment strategy, the US sees both China and Russia as potential threats – a view that many argue is more a result of US elite discourse than an objective assessment of reality.

China’s perspective

China wants to avoid a bipolar world confrontation and sees the United States’ intense efforts to contain it as a legacy of an outdated “Cold War mentality”. For Beijing, the national agenda is primarily about socio-economic development, where foreign policy is seen as a tool rather than an end in itself. In this context, Russia is not seen as a submissive partner, but as a strategic player with significant military and geopolitical resources.

By leveraging Russia’s energy and transit capabilities, China can secure key raw materials while maintaining good relations with other global players, including the United States and Western countries. Too close a relationship with Moscow would risk jeopardizing these relations, which China is prepared to avoid. Beijing’s strategy is therefore characterized by maintaining a balanced relationship with Russia – a cooperation based on mutual benefit rather than hierarchical subordination.

Conclusion

Reducing the Russia-China relationship to a simple narrative of Western dependence and subservience misses the complex reality. Both Moscow and Beijing cherish their strategic autonomy and prefer pragmatic cooperation to a relationship characterized by hierarchy. The US fear of Russia falling under China’s influence rather reflects its own desire to redefine the global balance of power.

If the US could let go of its need to act as the world’s moral compass, and instead focus on raising the living standards of its citizens, a more nuanced understanding of international relations could emerge – one in which major powers cooperate on equal terms without imposing roles of subordination or superiority on each other.

A longer analysis article by Zuenko has been published on RT.

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China drops visa requirements for Swedes

The new multipolar world order

Published yesterday 9:21
– By Editorial Staff
Soon it will be easier for Swedes to visit the Great Wall of China and other Chinese travel destinations.
1 minute read

Swedish citizens will soon be able to travel to China without a visa. This was announced by Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergård (M) during a visit to Beijing.

Sweden has until now been one of few European countries lacking visa-free entry to China, despite most other nations on the continent having gained access to the new rules.

This is very welcome news, and businesses in particular have been requesting this for a long time. We don’t know the details regarding implementation or exact design, but I expect we will have this shortly. But as I understand it, it will cover Swedish citizens, Stenergård told publicly funded broadcaster SVT.

In July this year, China expanded its visa-free policy to cover a total of 74 countries, where citizens can visit the country for up to 30 days without a visa. Nearly all of Europe is included in the agreement, but Sweden and the United Kingdom have until now remained outside.

For Swedish travelers and businesses, the change represents a major relief, as visa applications were previously time-consuming and costly.

Swedish companies have unfortunately been affected by excessive red tape for a long time, not least at the EU level, she says.

“A celebration of peace – not a show of force”

The new cold war

Published 14 October 2025
An air echelon attends the victory day parade in Beijing , capital of China, September 3, 2025.
3 minute read
This is an opinion piece. The author is responsible for the views expressed in the article.

China’s Victory Day parade in early September drew wide attention both at home and abroad. While Chinese audiences saw it as a solemn moment of remembrance and confidence, some foreign media outlets rushed to label it a “show of force,” a “signal to the West,” or even evidence of new global division.

These interpretations ignore the deeper significance of the event and the consistent principles guiding China’s approach to global affairs.

At its heart, the parade was an act of remembrance—marking China’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the global triumph over fascism. It was a tribute to the sacrifices of millions and a powerful reminder that peace is never easily won.

The presence of numerous foreign leaders in Beijing during the parade was a statement in itself. They were there not to take sides or escalate tensions, but to stand together in honoring the past and fostering a future built on peace. Their participation underscored a shared commitment to dialogue, not division.

Building capabilities to uphold principles

The weapons and equipment displayed at the parade should be understood within the framework of China’s long-standing defense policy, one based on peace and restraint.

Consider China’s nuclear posture: China remains the only nuclear-weapon state to publicly commit to a No-First-Use policy under any circumstances. This reflects a profound belief that nuclear weapons must never be used, and that a nuclear war can have no winners. China’s nuclear arsenal is kept strictly at the minimum level required for national security.

In terms of conventional forces, the unveiling of new-generation tanks, aircraft, and missile systems such as hypersonic weapons does showcase progress in China’s military modernization. Yet this progress is guided by a doctrine of active self-defense. These systems are designed to protect sovereignty and territorial integrity, not to project power globally. They serve as an anchor for national security and a stabilizer for regional security, deterring interference rather than provoking conflict.

The parade also featured unmanned and AI-enabled systems, highlighting China’s progress in technology and innovation. Importantly, this display went hand-in-hand with China’s call for international dialogue on regulating military uses of artificial intelligence. China has consistently advocated for a balanced approach—one that prevents misuse and humanitarian risks without stifling beneficial technological progress.

A message for the future

Yes, the parade was grand in scale. Yes, it displayed advanced weaponry systems. But above all, it conveyed a message of responsibility, transparency, and an enduring commitment to peace.

In times of rising mistrust and uncertainty, that message carries weight. The real choice before the international community is not between holding parades or staying silent, but between pursuing dialogue or confrontation, cooperation or suspicion. By honoring history and demonstrating its defensive posture, China has extended a hand of reassurance, not a fist of provocation.

The lesson of history is clear: peace is built through openness, cooperation, and mutual respect. This parade was, in that spirit, a step forward—a visible pledge of China’s dedication to a peaceful and stable world.

 

Hua Gesheng

About the author

Hua Gesheng is a commentator on international and multilateral affairs, writing regularly for Xinhua News Agency, Global Times, China Daily, CGTN, etc.

Merz acknowledges: The West’s attractiveness is waning

The new multipolar world order

Updated yesterday 9:30 Published 6 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
German politician Friedrich Merz advocates for welfare cuts while simultaneously wanting to increase both Ukraine aid and military spending.
2 minute read

Liberal democracy is under attack from new “autocratic alliances”, claimed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz this week. In the same breath, he acknowledged that the West’s attractiveness is “noticeably diminishing” and that the world no longer looks up to Western values in the same way as before.

Former BlackRock executive Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron painted a dark picture of the West’s crisis on Friday. Both leaders claim that liberal democracy is under attack from various directions, and according to Merz, it is an “axis of autocratic states” that now challenges the liberal world order.

— The centers of power in the world are shifting to an extent not seen since the end of the Cold War. An axis of autocratic states that challenges the liberal order around the world is directly challenging Western democracies, he claimed.

However, why this axis has formed was not explained in detail. In the same speech, he was forced to acknowledge that the West’s attractiveness is declining:

— The radiance of what we in the West call liberal democracy is noticeably diminishing. It is no longer a given that the world will orient itself towards us, that it will follow our values of liberal democracy.

Merz has also recently stated that Germany can no longer afford to finance the welfare state while advocating for investments in military rearmament and continued support for Ukraine.

Macron finds convenient scapegoat

Macron spoke of a “degeneration of democracy” in Europe and found a convenient scapegoat in social media platforms.

— We’ve been guilty of handing over our public democratic space to social networks owned by big American entrepreneurs and Chinese firms, he said.

However, the possibility that the West’s own policies contributed to this development was not addressed at all by Merz or Macron.

— Democratic debate is turning into a debate of hatred, continued the French president.

Merz, Macron, Polish Prime Minister Tusk and British Prime Minister Starmer. Photo: Number 10/CC BY 2.0

Putin sees multipolar world

Russian President Vladimir Putin presented a completely different analysis on Thursday. At the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, Russia, he described the development as natural.

— Multipolarity has become a direct consequence of attempts to establish and preserve global hegemony, a response to the obsessive desire to arrange everyone into a single hierarchy, with Western countries at the top, Putin said.

Putin also claimed that democracy is in decline in the West. As an example, he mentioned Romania, where the court invalidated the presidential election last year.

Merz also acknowledged that Europe has become “economically weaker” and that the social promises made are “so much harder to fulfill today than they used to be”.

The solution? Europe must “refocus on its economic competitiveness” and “oppose a new wave of protectionism in the world”. This is essentially the same mantra European leaders have repeated for decades – so far with limited success.

Putin: West’s pursuit of world hegemony created multipolar order

The new multipolar world order

Published 3 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
According to Russia's president, Ukraine lost nearly 45,000 Ukrainian soldiers last month.
5 minute read

The multipolar world order is already a reality and “no one is ready to play by rules set some place overseas”, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared during the annual Valdai Forum.

He urged European politicians to stop their “anti-Russian hysteria”, claimed that 44,700 Ukrainian soldiers were killed or wounded in September, and called US President Donald Trump a “comfortable conversation partner”.

The world is currently undergoing extensive transformation and the already established multipolar world order is a direct consequence of Western powers’ attempts to establish global hegemony, Putin argued during a speech at the Valdai Forum on Thursday.

The Russian president also outlined the Russian armed forces’ alleged successes in Ukraine and Kiev’s losses, and urged European leaders to address their own countries’ problems instead of engaging in what he described as “anti-Russian hysteria”.

Putin also expressed positive views about the new American administration’s pragmatic approach to international issues.

Nothing is predetermined

The current global situation, characterized by rapid and often dramatic changes, requires readiness for all developments. Individual responsibility is particularly important and “the stakes in the current situation are extremely high”, Putin said.

A multipolar world has already taken shape, according to the Russian president. “Virtually nothing is predetermined. Everything could unfold in different ways. Much depends on the precision, deliberateness, restraint, and thoughtfulness of each international actor’s actions”, he said.

Putin emphasized that in a multipolar world, all countries must seek common ground for their interests. “No one is ready to play by rules set some place overseas”, he stated.

— The relationships within the global majority, the prototype of political practices necessary and effective in a polycentric world, are based on pragmatism and realism, a rejection of bloc philosophy, and the absence of rigid, unilaterally imposed obligations or models with senior and junior partners, Putin explained.

He called the “bloc mentality” that certain countries have in order to trigger confrontation meaningless and anachronistic. New international organizations like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) are developing today in “the spirit of 21st-century diplomacy”, Putin said. “They are not against anyone; they are for themselves”.

Sharp criticism of Europe

Putin stated that the power of the US and its allies reached its peak at the end of the 20th century, but that there is not, and never will be, a force that can govern the world and dictate to everyone “how to breathe”.

— Attempts were made, but they all ended in failure, he said.

The Russian president directed sharp criticism at European politicians who he believes are trying to “patch up holes in the European edifice” by incorrectly creating an image of Russia as an enemy.

— The ruling elites of united Europe continue to whip up hysteria. It turns out that war with the Russians is almost on their doorstep. They repeat this nonsense, this mantra, over and over again, Putin said.

— Frankly, I feel like telling them, calm down, get some rest, and finally, deal with your own issues, he continued.

Russia’s leader also warned that Moscow is closely following the escalating militarization of Europe, and that Russia’s countermeasures “will not be long in coming”. He noted that there are those who hope to deliver a “strategic defeat” to Russia, but argued that even the “most obtuse hardheads” will soon realize that this is impossible.

The situation in Ukraine

Putin placed responsibility for the failed efforts to stop hostilities on “the minority, not the majority”.

— This primarily refers to Europe, which constantly escalates the conflict; there can be seen no other goal that they pursue today, he said.

The Russian president accused the West and their “servants in Kiev” of treating the Ukrainian people as expendable, a “destructive tool in others’ hands”. Putin also stated that Russian armed forces are steadily creating a buffer zone along the entire front line.

— this work is proceeding smoothly, calmly, and according to plan… As of today, the Russian army is the most combat-ready army, Putin claimed, asserting that while Russian armed forces have indeed suffered losses, these are much smaller than those of the Ukrainian military.

Russian troops have, according to him, captured two-thirds of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region and taken Kirovsk in Donetsk under their full control. The settlement of Yunakovka in the Sumy region is under Russian army control and Volchansk in the Kharkiv region is half-controlled.

Russian troops have entered Seversk, Konstantinovka and Krasnoarmeysk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, and need only to liberate 0.13 percent of the territory in the Luhansk People’s Republic.

He claimed there is “confusion in the ranks of the Ukrainian military” and that they do not understand what is happening on the front line. The Ukrainian army lost around 44,700 soldiers at the engagement line in September, where irreversible losses accounted for half of this figure, according to Putin. From January to August, a total of 150,000 Ukrainian military personnel deserted, he claimed.

Pragmatic view of the US

Putin stated that Russia and the US have different views on many “global problems,” but that “for major powers, this is actually normal”. Solutions to contradictions that would satisfy both sides are entirely possible to find, he argued.

— Whatever the disagreements, if we treat each other with respect, then bargaining, even the toughest and most persistent, will still aim to reach a consensus, and this means that mutually acceptable solutions are possible.

He appreciated that the current American authorities, unlike their predecessors, express their ambitions clearly and distinctly.

— It’s always better to clearly understand what other persons are up to and what they’re trying to achieve than to try to discern the real meaning in a series of understatements, ambiguities, and vague hints.

— We see that the current US administration is guided primarily by the interests of its own country, he continued.

During a visit to Alaska, the restoration of bilateral relations was discussed, since according to Putin they are “not just at an impasse, but at the lowest level in all of recent memory”. Putin further described American President Donald Trump as a comfortable conversation partner who “knows how to listen and hear.”

Furthermore, Russia is ready to support President Trump’s proposal to resolve the conflict in the Gaza Strip if it leads to the creation of two separate states, since this step is key to a “final resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict”, Putin said.

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