Beijing tests West's reaction with diplomat's words

The statement by the Chinese ambassador to France that all post-Soviet countries are not legitimate is:

1. This is currently not China's official position, especially given that not only Ukraine but also China's direct satellites in Central Asia (especially Kazakhstan) are at risk;

2. Theoretically, this can be seen as Beijing testing different positions, especially given that a week ago another Chinese ambassador (the ambassador to the EU) said that support for Russia was a rhetorical figure. In other words, we can assume that Beijing is using second-tier actors to launch different messages to different audiences. The goal of this game is to say something without saying anything. However, we cannot rule out the possibility that the ambassador simply said something he did not plan to say (he has previously 'sinned' with not entirely correct statements).

“We can assume that Beijing is using second-tier actors to launch different messages to different audiences. The goal of this game is to say something without saying anything.”

3. There is definitely no point in saying about ‘betrayal’ yet – it is not there yet, and most importantly: China does not want any restoration of the USSR, and therefore, even if all this is a game approved in Beijing, it is definitely not to strengthen Russia. China simply does not need it.

4. Ukraine should definitely call the ambassador to the carpet at the Foreign Ministry, but it should not speak in the language of ultimatums, but negotiate to raise the level of China's involvement in putting pressure on Russia.

5. Xi will not talk to Zelenskyy for now. The reason is that he cannot have a conversation for the sake of a conversation. So far, there are no points of intersection, so we need to put maximum pressure on second-level communication (preferably at the level of ministries or an analog of the National Security and Defense Council).

So to summarize: nothing terrible happened. To say that communication with China is unnecessary is stupid. This is a big game. And we need to become players, not children who are eliminated in the first round.

Source

About the author: Vadym Denysenko, political scientist.

The editors don't always share the opinions expressed by the authors of the blogs.