As COVID-19 spreads across the globe, the Chinese government has been orchestrating a soft power campaign that is intended to turn what should be an embarrassing fiasco into a public relations boon. Xi Jinping and his Politburo representatives have reached out to dozens of foreign governments, portraying the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as a world leader in a time of crisis. And another authoritarian has been willing to help Xi in this effort: Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
On the evening of March 19, Xi and Putin spoke by phone to discuss the coronavirus pandemic. According to a readout prepared by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Putin praised the “Chinese government for taking measures to not only contain the spread of the virus at home, but also contribute to safeguarding the health and safety of people across the world.” The Chinese government “has set an example for the international community” by “providing timely assistance to other countries affected by COVID-19,” Putin said. In so doing, Xi’s regime has “responded, loud and clear, to the provocation and stigmatization by some country.”
“Some country” is, of course, the United States of America.
The Trump administration and the CCP are engaged in a rhetorical battle over the Chinese government’s culpability in unleashing the deadly virus. This is just one battle of many in what Washington calls a “Great Power Competition.” Xi’s regime is trying to supplant the U.S. as the world’s preeminent power and the CCP’s initial failure to contain COVID-19 is a potential stumbling block along the way. If foreign governments see the CCP as incompetent, or even malicious, during a global health crisis, then they might be less willing to trust the Communist-capitalist hybrid power when it comes to other economic and technological issues. China wants to be seen as an effective and capable world leader—a new hegemon, albeit one that relies on Russia’s assistance.
Both Xi and Putin emphasized the close relationship between their two nations during their call. Russia “will maintain its mutual support and close cooperation with China in battling the virus and further deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries,” Putin reportedly said.
Xi praised the “mutual support, solidarity and close collaboration between China and Russia in this extraordinary fight against the virus,” saying their cooperation is “a testament to the strength of China-Russia relations in the new era.”
That “new era” is one in which the U.S. is no longer a lone superpower. Xi also emphasized that the “two sides must seize the opportunities for carrying out still more fruitful cooperation in various fields.”
Russian media outlets have done their part to bolster Xi’s COVID-19 narrative. The Russian news agency TASS reported today that China is “winning [the] battle against COVID-19,” while “offering assistance to other countries.” TASS trumpeted the aid China has delivered “to Italy, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands and Iraq,” with assistance promised to Serbia as well. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has similarly highlighted the CCP’s COVID-19 relief assistance to these and other countries.
China’s coordination with Russia during the COVID-19 pandemic is just one example of the complex and growing relationship between the two authoritarian countries. This is an issue we will discuss more in future editions of Vital Interests—as it has profound ramifications for America’s national security.
Photograph of Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping by Pang Xinglei/Xinhua/Getty Images.
It's a problem, sure, but hardly surprising. "Enemy of my enemy," and all that. Like China, Russia dislikes us because we stick our nose into their business. Don't get me wrong, someone needs to do it - between them, they're the headwaters for a surprising number of the world's ills - and if not us, then who? But it is both the reason they target us, and also their most effective means of attacking us.
The thing is, everybody knows Russia and China are bastards. Yet all they have to do is point to the times the U.S. has failed to live up to our own ideals, and suddenly in people's minds we're somehow the same as them. Don't ask me how that magic works, but even our own president has asked, "Are we any better?" Well, yes, actually, we are a LOT better - if you're confused on that point, just ask Mexico and Canada if they would trade places with Ukraine or Taiwan.
Speaking of points, I should probably get to mine.
First, we need to keep it up, regardless of world opinion. Russia with its gas, and China with its tech, are like the pushers in an '80's after-school special - they're your friends, and they don't judge you or demand anything from you, not like your old friends (us) did. They just want you to be happy - here, have another free hit, and I can give you all the freebies you want... until you're hooked. Then the smile disappears and price goes up. (Oh, and btw, I might also ask you to do me a small favor, like looking the other way while I invade Belarus, or "re-educate" a few minorities. But you wouldn't judge me for that, because friends don't judge, and we ARE friends, right? It'd be a real pity if Nord Stream or Huawei 5G were to suddenly develop "technical issues". And anyway, it's not like the high-and-mighty U.S. any better, remember?)
We have to go on trying to do the right thing, even if we get it wrong sometimes, because the alternative is living in a world of junkies.
Second, if we are going to engage in a second cold war, which is looking increasingly likely, then our primary objective - beyond containment, and who knew that word would ever make a comeback? - has GOT to be splitting those two apart. They really don't like each other, "enemy of my enemy" or no, and they have a lot of very good reasons to mistrust each other even more than they mistrust us. (Starting with the fact that they share a continent and a border, and are probably eyeballing a lot of the same countries as part of their future hegemony.) We need to figure out how to capitalize on that.
Dunno about you, but if I have to face down two opponents, I'd much prefer a three-way standoff (though don't ask me which one is Tuco in that scenario) than a two-on-one. I don't know what we can do to make that happen, but I think that if we can't, then we don't stand a chance in the 21st century.
So far I've seen no numbers from Russia about infected persons. Have they thus far escaped COVID-19?