BEIJING, March 7. /TASS/. U.S. President Donald Trump will attempt to create discord in Sino-Russian relations following the conclusion of the Ukrainian conflict and the United States' shift in policy focus toward the Asian region. However, according to Qian Feng, an expert at the National Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University, the American leader is unlikely to succeed in "driving a wedge" between China and Russia due to the strong foundation of their partnership.
"The Trump administration views the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a diplomatic priority, aiming to reallocate resources to the Indo-Pacific region," Qian, a senior research fellow at the Taihe Institute, stated in an interview with TASS. "To prevent Vladimir Zelensky from influencing the agenda, the U.S. leader has excluded Kiev from U.S.-Russia discussions. Ukraine has shifted from being a 'pawn' in the hands of [former U.S. President Joe] Biden to 'scum,' according to Trump."
Qian further elaborated that while the European Union supports Ukraine, it remains heavily reliant on the United States for military and economic assistance. "The EU's influence is limited. It is entirely uncertain whether it can shoulder the significant responsibility of aiding Ukraine once the U.S. withdraws," the expert added.
He did not rule out the possibility that the White House will exert "both soft and hard pressure" on Ukraine, the EU, and Russia, seeking to compel them to adopt its proposed framework for peace talks.
Attempt to drive a wedge between China and Russia doomed
"For the People's Republic of China, the Trump administration's intention to stabilize Russia while creating a rift in the Sino-Russian partnership and reallocating resources to the Asia-Pacific region to counter Beijing raises the risk of increased U.S. security pressure," Qian emphasized.
At the same time, he believes that the trend of increasing high-level Sino-Russian contacts indicates that China's engagement with Russia, based on principles of equality, mutual respect, and mutual benefit, is "experiencing its most favorable period ever."
"Looking ahead, even if relations between Russia and the United States improve in certain areas, this will not undermine the solid foundation of China's strategic cooperation with Russia," the expert added.
According to Qian, the stability of Sino-Russian relations is rooted in the common strategic needs of Beijing and Moscow. Their shared interests in security, economic matters, and the reform of the international order possess a "long-term and enduring character that is difficult for the United States to surpass."