Everyone knows that Russia supplies a lot of weapons to both the PRC and India. Until the border soldiers fight with stones, sticks, and stock up on halberds – this is not very noticeable. But in the event of a major conflict, Russian weapons can be used from both sides. At the same time, sending a batch of weapons, willingly or unwillingly, also serves as a signal of political support for one side or another.
The latest decisions on the sale of Su-30MKI, mig-29UPG fighters, and S-400 air defense systems to India, announced after the collision on the river. Galwan caused a lot of discontent in Kitnet and accusations of unfriendly Moscow. For Russia, the chief editor of the Global Times, Hu Xijin, even suffered a little.
Global times is often referred to as the CCP’s unofficial mouthpiece, vocalizing what the leadership of the country and the party has in their language, but in People’s Daily or Xinhua, it is not very convenient to voice it. If you need to call Obama a “half-blooded hybrid” during a period of deteriorating relations with the United States or post a cartoon of Kim Jong-un when North Korea is stubborn, but at the same time so that it does not remain at the level of blogging and does not go unnoticed – GT is the most suitable publication. At the same time, editor-in-chief Hu Xijin is a great professional, who in the 90s, worked as a military commander in Bosnia, and then traveled with official delegations in Europe and the former USSR. However, he is not only the editor of a rather scandalous media outlet but also has accounts on Twitter and WeChat, publishing their personal opinions on the most pressing issues.
So Hu Xijin’s assessment is quite balanced. “The fact that Russia is selling arms to India. Some Chinese feel uncomfortable with such news … At the same time, endlessly exaggerate this question and formulate it as if Russia” helps India to fight against China “and” becomes [in conflict] side of India “is a very exaggerated statement that can even be called nonsense …
Both China and Russia are great powers. While maintaining comprehensive strategic partnerships and coordination in the new era, they maintain various diplomatic interests of their own. Russia and India maintain traditional friendly relations. India is one of the largest long-term buyers of Russian weapons. The sale of weapons to India is of great importance for the development of the Russian military industry. In recent years, India has increased its purchases of weapons from the United States, but the Indian army’s stockpiles of Russian-made weapons remain the largest. The Russia-India arms deal does not target the Sino-Indian conflict, and any international relations specialist in China is aware of this basic situation …
Some people on the web call me “pro-Russian,” but I am not. I am for the national interests of China and the fundamental interests of the Chinese people. In 1978, I entered the Military Academy of Russian faculty, and then the Soviet-Chinese relations were very tense. I remember the first Russian phrases that I learned were “Hands up!” and “Drop your weapon!” Since then, the world has changed dramatically, and Chinese-Russian relations have grown on Soviet-Chinese relations’ wreckage. And we must understand this when facing difficulties in the international situation, “Hu writes.
In general, in China, against the background of information noise, the voice of reason sounds quite confidently. A reasonable supply of Russian weapons to both sides should, on the contrary, play on containment and, ideally, prevent a full-scale conflict.