This publication, part of the China Trends series, examines China's foreign relations and balancing strategies with volatile allies such as Russia, Iran, North Korea, and other global disruptors. It provides in-depth analysis from multiple authors on how China's foreign policy adapts to the shifting dynamics of its relationships with these countries, especially in the context of the ongoing geopolitical upheavals. Topics discussed include China’s relationship with Iran in the Middle East, its nuanced stance on the Russia-North Korea alliance, and its broader strategy regarding regional and international conflicts. The authors explore the tensions between China's public diplomacy as a peaceful mediator and its behind-the-scenes geopolitical calculations.
Authors
François Godement, Pierre Pinhas, Adam Cathcart, Marcin Kaczmarski
- Pages
- 23
- Published in
- France
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction 1
- 2. Chinas Caution in Supporting Iran within a Volatile Middle East 1
- 3. Chinese Perspectives on the North Korea-Russia Alliance Too Much of a Good Thing 1
- 4. Russia Chinas Most Important Non-Alliance 1
- Introduction 2
- François Godement 2
- Introduction 3
- Introduction 4
- Introduction 5
- Pierre Pinhas 6
- Chinas Caution in Supporting Iran within a Volatile Middle East 6
- Khamenei remains the operator of Irans political pendulum . 7
- Chinas Caution in Supporting Iran within a Volatile Middle East 7
- Irans security organs including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have been seriously infiltrated 8
- Chinas Caution in Supporting Iran within a Volatile Middle East 8
- Tehran is not seen as a primary instigator of regional instability from Beijings point of view. 9
- Chinas Caution in Supporting Iran within a Volatile Middle East 9
- Niu Xinchun calls the United States aversion to a large-scale war in the Middle East a weak spot that would allow Iran to seize the initiative in the next stage of confrontation. 10
- Iran is viewed both as a trigger and as a potential solution to the regions instability. 10
- Chinas Caution in Supporting Iran within a Volatile Middle East 10
- Chinas Caution in Supporting Iran within a Volatile Middle East 11
- Wang Yi pledged that China would support Iran in safeguarding its security against external forces and always be a trustworthy partner. 12
- Chinas Caution in Supporting Iran within a Volatile Middle East 12
- Chinese Perspectives on the North Korea-Russia Alliance Too Much of a Good Thing 13
- Adam Cathcart 13
- There is careful omission of discussion around North Korean agency in areas of sensitivity to Chinese foreign policy. 13
- Chinese Perspectives on the North Korea-Russia Alliance Too Much of a Good Thing 14
- Chinese Perspectives on the North Korea-Russia Alliance Too Much of a Good Thing 15
- The countrys long closure appears to be a source of malaise. 15
- North Koreas three-stage diplomatic style in which military deterrence serves as the background foreign policy as the means and economic improvement as the purpose. 15
- Chinese Perspectives on the North Korea-Russia Alliance Too Much of a Good Thing 16
- North Korea is not portrayed as the regions main problem quite the contrary. 16
- Chinese Perspectives on the North Korea-Russia Alliance Too Much of a Good Thing 17
- Zhang Wang advises Chinese readers and leaders not to align explicitly into a trilateral defense framework with North Korea and Russia. 17
- Russian and Chinese leaderships go to great lengths to emphasize that their cooperation is not directed against any third party. 18
- Marcin Kaczmarski 18
- Russia Chinas Most Important Non-Alliance 18
- History is among the main obstacles to Moscow and Beijing formalizing their cooperation in an alliance-like form. 19
- Russia Chinas Most Important Non-Alliance 19
- A geopolitical situation of Russia retreating and the West advancing . 20
- Russia Chinas Most Important Non-Alliance 20
- Moscows ties with Vietnam can be considered a sensitive topic for China scholars. 21
- Russia Chinas Most Important Non-Alliance 21
- Russia is trying to consolidate the wartime system without pursuing the old path of excessive militarization. 22
- The Yamal-LNG project is seen as the model for Sino-Russian energy cooperation directed at third country markets. 22
- Russia Chinas Most Important Non-Alliance 22
- Russia Chinas Most Important Non-Alliance 23
