Russian Security Council’s Secretary Sergei Shoigu Photo: Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Sputnik
On Tuesday, in Beijing, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu discussed with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi the key task of Russian-Chinese cooperation – countering the policy of “double isolation” pursued by the United States, according to Shoigu. The two countries are seeking to respond to Washington’s efforts to curb their geopolitical and economic activities, Reuters reports.
On the eve of his inauguration, US President-elect Donald Trump made a number of high-profile statements threatening to increase tariffs on China and other countries. This raised concerns about a possible trade conflict and exacerbated tensions in international relations. Washington considers China to be its biggest economic rival and Russia to be the main threat to national security.
In May, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of a “new era” of partnership, focusing on countering US global hegemony. The leaders of the two countries, describing the United States as a Cold War hegemon, are seeking to strengthen multipolarity in world politics.
At his meeting with Wang Yi, Shoigu stressed that close relations between Russia and China are a key factor in global stability. He noted that joint efforts by Moscow and Beijing could strengthen the global balance and reduce the influence of the unipolar policy of the United States and its allies.
“The most important task is to counteract the policy of ‘double isolation’ of Russia and China pursued by the United States and its satellites,” Shoigu said, according to Russian media.
Shoigu also emphasised the deep historical ties that unite China and Russia. The leaders of both countries, he said, share the belief that the era of unquestioning US dominance, which began after the collapse of the USSR in 1991, is coming to an end.
