Russia, China Ink Enormous $270 Billion Energy Deal, Strengthen Axis vs. US
Photo Credit: WNDBy F. Michael Maloof. Russia and China have just signed a $270 billion energy agreement that quickly could lead to other lucrative energy projects, with the byproduct of strengthening not only economic but political ties between them, according to report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.
The deal was between Russia’s state-controlled oil company, Rosneft, and the China National Petroleum Corporation.
China will now become Rosneft’s largest customer, obviating Moscow’s major reliance on European markets which continue to experience serious economic difficulties and, in some countries, a lingering recession.
It will help ensure that Russia continues to receive the revenue it needs for its own infrastructure development and military reform.
Having Rosneft’s boss, Igor Sechin, as one of the most trusted advisers to Russian President Vladimir Putin also has been a big asset in pushing the Russian president’s political agenda. Read more from this story HERE.
_______________________________________________________________________
Photo Credit: Sergei IlnitskyA New Anti-American Axis?
By Leslie H. Gelb and Dimitri K. Simes. THE flight of the leaker Edward J. Snowden from Hong Kong to Moscow last month would not have been possible without the cooperation of Russia and China. The two countries’ behavior in the Snowden affair demonstrates their growing assertiveness and their willingness to take action at America’s expense.
Beyond their protection of Mr. Snowden, Chinese-Russian policies toward Syria have paralyzed the United Nations Security Council for two years, preventing joint international action. Chinese hacking of American companies and Russia’s cyberattacks against its neighbors have also caused concern in Washington. While Moscow and Beijing have generally supported international efforts to end Iran’s nuclear weapons program, they clearly were not prepared to go as far as Washington was, and any coordinated shift in their approach could instantly gut America’s policy on the issue and endanger its security and energy interests. To punctuate the new potential for cooperation, China is now carrying out its largest ever joint naval exercises — with Russia.
Russia and China appear to have decided that, to better advance their own interests, they need to knock Washington down a peg or two. Neither probably wants to kick off a new cold war, let alone hot conflicts, and their actions in the case of Mr. Snowden show it. China allowed him into Hong Kong, but gently nudged his departure, while Russia, after some provocative rhetoric, seems to have now softened its tone.
Still, both countries are seeking greater diplomatic clout that they apparently reckon they can acquire only by constraining the United States. And in world affairs, there’s no better way to flex one’s muscles than to visibly diminish the strongest power.
This new approach appears based in part on a sense of their growing strength relative to America and their increasing emphasis on differences over issues like Syria. Both Moscow and Beijing oppose the principle of international action to interfere in a country’s sovereign affairs, much less overthrow a government, as happened in Libya in 2011. After all, that principle could always backfire on them. Read more from this story HERE.