Sept 11 changed the world and redefined relationships among the major powers. The following year 2002 was one of seemingly continual change. One of the most conspicuous developments was in a new three-cornered China-US-Russia relationship. Increasingly this has come to be characterized by a willingness to seek out the common ground while showing tolerance to differences in approach. The three powers clearly want cooperation not confrontation and a newfound warmth can be seen permeating their international relations in today’s post cold war era.

A New Romance of the Three Kingdoms?

The title of this historical epic of Chinese Chivalry from the pen of Luo Guanzhong may well be apt in pointing to the new warm in the three-way relationship. But there will be no new chapters of conflict as such tales are now firmly confined to the pages of fiction and history. The year just past could well be remembered as the year in which China, the US and Russia drew closer together.

A notable characteristic of the new triangular relationship is that China, the US and Russia together favor an approach that is at once pragmatic, constructive and cooperative.

US President George W. Bush visited China in February. Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao flew to the US in April followed by President Jiang Zemin in October.

Sino-US relations moved into a new phase and Sino-US military exchanges, which had been on the back burner since the air collision incident, have now resumed. As for US-Russian relations, President Bush visited Moscow in May to mark the start of the NATO-Russian cooperative mechanism. The US President urged that both sides should lay the old heritage of the cold war completely to rest no longer regarding each other as potential adversaries.

Meanwhile, Sino-Russian relations were also developing smoothly. During President Putin’s visit to China in December, the two countries signed a joint declaration affirming that China and Russia will “forever be good neighbors, good friends and good partners and never become enemies.”

While comprehensively reviewing the past 10 years of development in Sino-Russian relations, the leaders of China and Russia established a sound basis for developing and enhancing the China-Russia strategic partnership. They set out the future direction to be taken in key areas.

Meanwhile, Russia and the US not only signed a treaty to reduce strategic weapons but also entered into further treaties on anti-terrorism and energy cooperation. And what’s more, the two sides then agreed to work towards a strategic partnership.

China and the US agreed the importance of further developing their constructive cooperation in the fields of anti-terrorism, trade and economy, energy, science and technology, the environment and in the fight against HIV-AIDS.

Another defining feature of the triangular relationship is that bilateral relations are not in any way aimed against a third party. Take President Putin’s visit to China as an important example. One fundamentally held position, which was carefully implemented both during all the talks and throughout all the documentation that there was nothing at all directed against the third party.

One of the most important guiding principles in China-Russia relations has emerged as the composite concept of “non-alliance, non-confrontation, non-targeting of third parties.”

China and Russia’s new style of relationship is consistent with international trends and establishes a model for the future. Neither China-US nor Russia-US relationships are in any way directed against any third party. The May 2002 Rome Declaration brought Russia and the 19 NATO nations together in the “Group of 20.” But Russia did not go so far as to become a member of NATO, a further example of “non-alliance” contributing to the cause of world peace and development.

Not Yet Fully Rounded

Much progress has already been made but the sharp edges on the triangle of China-US-Russia relations have still to be fully rounded and some issues remain to be resolved.

Russia may well have failed to prevent the US from breaking the Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty or indeed to stem the tide of NATO eastern expansion, however it is still an effective counterweight.

The US wants to maintain its unique super-power position while Russia works to regain its own vision of major power status. The most challenging differences to resolve reside at the strategic level. The Taiwan issue complicates China-US relations. The US while accepting the three Sino-US joint communiqués still retains its “Taiwan Relations Act,” considering the island “its unsinkable aircraft carrier” to support its Asia-Pacific strategies.

The Relationships Evolve

What are the underlying factors as relationships become realigned?

China on the ascendancy

A new ever-increasing economic strength has followed on from China’s adoption of opening-up policies. It has become an influential rising star on the international stage. The old weight China once carried in the cold war era has been replaced by a modern day influence exercised within the context of the new three-way relationship.

The unique US position

The US finds itself cast in the role of the sole super power in the world today and advocates a US-centric new world order. Yet the world stage has grown too large for the US to dominate even in alliance with its European and Japanese partners. It needs to work within, rather than seek to control the mosaic of US-Russia, China-US, and Russia-China relations. The US has chosen wisely in pursuing relationships with China and Russia that are not only both pragmatic and constructive but also soundly based on dialogue.

Confronting the common threat of terrorism together

The US has made important adjustments since Sept 11 terrorist attacks and the war against terrorism is at the very heart of its security strategy. The US well understands how very difficult it would be to deal with terrorism on its own. Help is needed not only from those countries with which the US has alliances but also from those countries with which it does not have alliances and this help has been forthcoming.

China and Russia also face the threat of terrorism. China, the US and Russia share a common need to enhance cooperation in the field of anti-terrorism.

And so anti-terrorism can be identified as the main driving force in recent readjustments in China-US-Russia tri-partite relations.

(The author is a journalist with the International Department of Xinhua News Agency.)

(China.org.cn, translated by Zheng Guihong, January 29, 2003)