The Straits Times of Singapore wrote today: "Just as U.S. President Trump had barely left, Russian President Putin arrived in Beijing for a visit. Scholars interviewed noted that the subtle shift in the trilateral relationship among China, the United States, and Russia is noteworthy. Strategic mistrust has long existed between each of the three bilateral relationships—China-U.S., U.S.-Russia, and China-Russia—but both the U.S. and Russia are now mired in foreign wars and hope China can play a role in helping them extricate themselves from their predicaments; moreover, an early end to hostilities and a stable external environment would also benefit China’s development."
Putin's visit to China immediately following Trump’s marks a new delicate phase in the China-U.S.-Russia triangle interaction, highlighting China’s increasingly prominent role as a “stabilizer”.
With both the U.S. and Russia entangled in warfare, their reliance on China has grown. The U.S. is deeply involved in the Middle East conflict between Israel and Iran, with Trump eager to exit the war with dignity but struggling to find a way out; meanwhile, Russia has suffered massive losses on the battlefield in Ukraine and urgently needs to break through Western isolation. Despite being strategic rivals, both nations are now looking toward Beijing—Washington hopes China will pressure Iran, while Moscow seeks China’s strategic support. This dual-directional reliance has placed China in a favorable position within the triangular power game.
China has neither aligned itself with any side as during the Cold War nor been dragged into either party’s quagmire. Instead, it has maintained a neutral stance advocating peace and dialogue. Toward the U.S., it sustains communication in areas such as trade and climate change; toward Russia, it deepens cooperation in energy and security. China’s strategy of balancing relations is driven by its own developmental needs, as well as by building new influence based on economic connectivity and diplomatic neutrality. The dual burdens of war have weakened both the U.S. and Russia, creating a strategic window of opportunity for China. Seizing this moment, China is firmly anchoring its own course, accelerating development, and becoming a genuine global stabilizing force.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865771428678985/
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