Ukraine's war has brought Europe and the US closer, but also Russia and China. Threatens the creation of an anti-Western bloc and what does this mean for Germany?
In these times of great upheaval, some news seem to go unnoticed, which in itself has the potential to warn of major upheavals. When the Bundestag last week by a clear majority voted to send heavy weapons to Ukraine, a passage at the end of the document was also very significant. China is urgently urged to renounce war approval as well as support a ceasefire. Added to this was a clear threat: If Beijing were to undermine Western sanctions or even send weapons to Ukraine, it would result in sanctions against China.
Farewell to Merkel's naivete
Such warnings a few weeks ago were unthinkable, as was sending tanks to Ukraine. This turn of German politics marks in the first place an irreversible farewell to Merkel's China policy, or rather naivety about China, which focused on the lucrative businesses of the economy but did not want to see aggressive efforts. of Beijing as a superpower.

Creating a block
Europe, many times divided by the start of the war in Ukraine, has become more united with the United States. Where China stands in this constellation has long been known. Close to Russia. Russia's rapprochement with China in one bloc is no small feat. It shows a shift in world order, an epoch-making turn, as we have seen with the fall of the Berlin Wall. The question that arises is how stable is the Sino-Russian bloc actually. At the start of the Olympics, Putin and Xi Jinping announced that the Sino-Russian partnership "knows no bounds."
Rusia dhe Kina bashkohen në atë që si fuqi ekspansive duan ta ndajnë botën në zona influence. Rusia po zhvillon për këtë një luftë brutale në Ukrainë. Kina kërcënon nga ana e saj gjithnjë e më hapur integritetin territorial të Tajvanit. Kundërshtari i përbashkët është SHBA në këtë zgjerim pushteti. Po ashtu edhe krahas unitetit strategjik, Pekinin dhe Moskën e bashkon refuzimi i vlerave perëndimore-liberale, frika nga demokracia brenda vendit, përndjekja e disidentëve dhe krijimi i një kulti të personit.
Megjithkëto blloku Rusi-Kinë nuk është aq i fortë sa duket në pamje të parë. Kina vërtet i refuzon sanksionet kundër Rusisë, por është larg asaj të ndihmojë Rusinë në pasojat ekonomike që do të ketë. Në radhë të parë kjo nuk është në interes të Kinës. Kina ka interes tek tregu europian. Vëllimi ekonomik i BE në vitin 2020, sipas Bankës Botërore, është dhjetë herë më i madh se ai i Rusisë. Rusia nuk mund të zëvendësojë tregun europian, prej të cilit Kina është e varur. Tjetra, politika “zero covid” e presidentit Jinping po i fut në krizë të rëndë qytete si Shangai. Kohët kur Pekini u jepte kredi të majme vendeve në Rrugën e Mëndafshit kanë kaluar. Në këtë bllok është e qartë se kush është lart dhe kush poshtë. Që para luftës zyrtarët kinezë e shihnin nga lart-poshtë Rusinë.
Firmat gjermane të varura nga Kina
Sanctions weaken Russia and China could benefit. Because it can buy Russian oil and gas cheaply and expand its influence in Central Asia at the expense of Russia. "The greatest victory is that which requires no battle," once wrote the Chinese military philosopher Sunzi. This seems to be also Jinping's strategy. Stay away, wait, until a weakened Russia submits to Beijing itself.
Perhaps that is why in all the rounds for Russia in Berlin, China is in the background as a problem. Dependence on Russian energy can be solved, but dependence on Chinese market, supply chains, high-tech etc., this is hard to expect. In the end China will be the biggest problem, this epoch-making turn shows.
Thomas Reichert / ZDF