China and Russia are back together again

The Sino-Russian “strategic partnership” would appear to be on a roll again. Following the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic comes the 60th anniversary of Sino-Russian diplomatic relations, as Stalin was naturally the first to recognise the regime of his fellow-psychopath Mao. What more natural than that not-really-Supreme-Leader Putin should come over to demonstrate the enduring strength of the relationship?
The usual impressive announcements were made. “Views were exchanged” on mutual energy cooperation.

Cooperation is also going smoothly on the construction of a gas pipeline from Siberia, although one hears from other sources that they are bickering about prices. Banking cooperation deals have been signed with a value of $1 billion, presumably involving lines of credit that will be used if and when the bickering stops. The total figure for all these deals is an impressive $4 billion.

I remember these communiqués well from my time as a diplomat. You have to have a big headline figure, which generally represents an aspiration rather than an actuality. It’s there to cover the fact that there’s no substance to these “big visits” at all. On the Chinese side it’s the prelude to a “Russia Year”, which of course is just a goodwill gesture. Apart from the need for certain Russian natural resources, which the Chinese know they’ll get anyway as the Russians can’t afford to brass them off, there’s nothing in this relationship.

That’s not to say that it doesn’t come in useful to both sides in worrying the West; the combination of the UN’s two principal dictator-protectors (known to me as “Tyranny International”) always makes us shiver a bit. And the Chinese may well be a bit miffed that St Barack has given Russia a free pass on human rights in exchange for a bit of help over Iran; still, it may encourage them to be a bit more helpful in the international arena.

Still, we should watch the progress of China’s “Russia Year” with considerable interest, using matchsticks to prop our eyes open if necessary. Perhaps by the end of it they’ll be the only ones left prepared to take Macho Man Putin with any seriousness at all. And that’s just out of politeness.