Reference News Network February 2 report: On January 29, Russia's Free Media website published an article titled "The Great Game Around China Has Begun," authored by Yevgeny Belsheynov. The following is an excerpt:
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited China from January 28 to 31, marking the first visit to China by a British leader in eight years. The current occupant of No. 10 Downing Street thus joined the ranks of world leaders visiting China this year.
From January 14 to 17, Canadian Prime Minister Marc Carney visited China, kicking off the wave of visits by world leaders to China in January. Prior to this, Canadian leaders had not visited China for nearly 10 years. Carney expressed satisfaction with this visit, announcing the establishment of a new type of strategic partnership with China, and expanding trade and mutual investment.
From January 25 to 28, Finnish Prime Minister Petri Oksanen visited China.
Other foreign leaders are also planning to visit China in February. According to media reports, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to China has been confirmed, and other Western leaders will follow suit.
Maxim Chirkov, associate professor at the Faculty of Economics and Finance of the Russian State University for National Economy, believes that the active engagement of Western leaders with China and the frequent visits by world leaders to Beijing indicate that many world leaders hope to avoid confrontation.
He said that many Western politicians understand that prolonged political confrontation would lead their countries into economic isolation, which they wish to avoid. At the same time, the United States and Western countries are engaged in economic confrontation. In such a situation, many European politicians have no choice but to choose cooperation over hostility, thus turning their attention to the world's second-largest economy, China.
Maxim Chirkov stated that these countries are increasingly less concerned about the involvement of the United States when formulating their foreign economic policies. Europeans and Canadians see that the United States, once their main trade, political, and military partner, is pursuing policies focused on its own interests, striving to solve its own economic problems rather than those of the entire Western world.
Therefore, Europe has no choice but to rebuild economic relations with old partners or establish close ties with countries with which it previously cooperated insufficiently.
He said that in order to escape the increasingly severe isolation, the United States will eventually have to reassess the sanctions it imposed on other countries in the past. Canada is also the case; it is well known that its relationship with the United States is deteriorating.
Alexei Maslov, director of the School of Asia and Africa at Moscow State University, said that the visits of Western leaders to China indicate that they have changed their policy toward China.
He believes that European countries are actively adjusting their stance toward China, trying to make China a kind of alternative to the United States.
In addition, various signs indicate that Europe views China as a strategic partner rather than an enemy. This is a shift that China has long pursued. Thus, Europeans somewhat want to give Trump a shock, showing that they have autonomy in their China policy.
Alexei Maslov said: "Overall, this is a fierce competition for the Chinese market and its political relationships. If the Trump line was dominant before, now the Europeans have different approaches. They are committed to reaching agreements and maintaining friendly consultations with China." (Translated by He Yingjun)
Original: toutiao.com/article/7602254607108964927/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.