Satisfaction for two, disappointment for many others

Russian President Vladimir Putin's state visit to China, just a few days after he was sworn in as Russia's president for his fifth term, was a full success for him. But his Chinese counterpart, China's President Xi Jinping, also gained much. In today's world, in light of the Ukraine war and the confrontation between the West and Russia, the more satisfied both men are with the outcomes of Vladimir Putin's recent China trip the more disappointed the West must have had to be. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 16. Photo: AFP/VNA

Russia and China are very imaginative and creative in finding words to describe and characterize their bilateral relationship. According to them, it is an "unprecedentedly high level of strategic partnership" and a "no-limit partnership". Therefore, Vladimir Putin's China visit could be taken to be very successful even before he arrived in China.

So was his recent trip to China. China is and remains Russia's most important strategic ally in today's world. Putin needs China more than ever before and China can benefit more than ever before from Russia's precarious situation in world politics and in Europe. Enhancing bilateral trade, cooperation projects in energy, and gas pipelines, and reducing their usage of US dollars and Euro..... were some among many agreements signed between Russia and China during Vladimir Putin's three-day stay in China.

All that was normal in normally good relationships between states in the world. But nowadays, everything resulting from the special relationship between Russia and China which could be good for them would be all bad and undesirable for the West. The stronger the Russia-China relations are the harder and even might be more impossible for the West to prevent China from helping Russia to not be defeated in the Ukraine war and to deal with the West's sanctions successfully. Without China's help, Russia might not have won the war in Ukraine. But with China's help, Russia wouldn't lose this war. Vladimir Putin's travel to China right after his inauguration in his fifth term as Russia's president is the newest proof showing that he could really rely on China for the time being and that China does not even think of doing any smallest favor for the West. China is now playing growing decisive role in deciding the Ukraine war and in the conflict between Russia and the West. The West's disappointment at Putin's recent visit to China must be very bitter and limitless.

At the beginning of his fifth term as Russia's president, Putin got what he wanted from China and China could play the world political game in the way China wanted to play it. And this relationship continues to determine the whole world politics, not only the war in Ukraine.

Disclaimer: The views expressed by Ambassador Tran Duc Mau are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Hanoi Times.