Political scientist Fyodor Lukyanov argues that as both countries strengthened their positions on the world stage, Washington increasingly realized that a strong China and Russia did not fit the old model in which Americans felt comfortable.
Russia and China “do not fit into the international system built under the auspices of the West”, so they are in favor of replacing it, something that is much easier to do together, says Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs magazine. , Chairman of the Russian Council for Foreign and Defense Policy and Scientific Director of the Valdai International Discussion Club.
In his new article for RT, the political scientist reflects on what has led both countries to realize that the time has come to change the course of their policies and choose the path of confrontation with the West.
A strong China did not fit the model of the American world
According to Lukyanov, Xi’s term in office “has been a time of rethinking the trajectory of development” in China. “The golden era of globalization, from which Beijing benefited enormously, essentially ended with the 2008 crisis. It then became clear that the world system was beginning to experience serious disruptions, the management of which would become the main task of each of the main actors,” he said.
At the same time, as the Asian country weathered the recession more quickly and easily and strengthened its position on the world stage, Washington increasingly realized that a strong China did not fit the old model in which the Americans they felt comfortable, so he began to see it as the main rival who “could challenge the world hegemon” of the West and try to “contain it on all fronts.”
The expert points out that despite the fact that the Chinese Communist Party initially planned to strengthen the country and, as far as possible, avoid getting involved in conflicts, “Xi’s decade was marked by a rapid escalation of all the contradictions in the world.” . Thus, the Asian giant “has approached the Ukrainian crisis with the confidence that the era of calm has ended” and that future success is not achieved by avoiding international conflicts, but by significantly engaging in them.